High in fiber and low in fat, the Bengali dal is considered to be one of the best foods you can take to lower your cholesterol levels. It can offer the perfect side dish for your rotis and remains to be one of the most commonly used food items in India. There are many ways to cook a tasty meal with Bengali dal and today we are going to take one such way to cook an easy dish that can be prepared in and around 15 minutes.

 INGREDIENTS: 

• 1 cup of red lentils
• 3 cups of water
• 1 cup of onion, thinly sliced, divided
• 4 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon of ground turmeric
• 1 bay leaf
• 3/4 cup of cherry tomatoes
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt
• 2 (2 inches) whole serrano chile peppers (optional)
• 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons of chopped cilantro

 METHOD:

1. Wash the lentils in a strainer. Combine the lentils and water in a saucepan over medium-high heat.
2. Add half of the sliced onions and garlic, reserving the rest for later. Stir in the turmeric, bay leaf, tomatoes, and salt.
3. Add the chiles, leaving them whole to add flavor or cut in half to add heat. When the mixture begins to boil, reduce the heat to a simmer.
4. Cook until the lentils break apart and thicken slightly about 20 minutes.

5. Meanwhile, in a skillet, heat the vegetable oil over medium heat until the oil shimmers.
6. Add the reserved sliced onions; cook and stir until the onion has softened and turned translucent about 5 minutes.
7. Reduce heat to medium-low, and continue cooking and stirring until the onion is very tender and dark brown, 15 to 20 minutes more.

8. Stir in the rest of the chopped garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until the garlic is fragrant and tender, about 2 minutes.
9. Pour the contents of the skillet into the cooked lentils and stir. Garnish with chopped cilantro.