Creamy French Lentil Dal

This contains all sorts of yummy. The cream smooths the flavour of the smoky spicyness of the chillis, and the firm yet tender tooth of the little du Puys lentils. This makes for an excellent addition to a multi-course Indian-style meal, or it does very well on its own, over rice, for a nice lunch.

1 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 medium onion (6oz/170g), minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp fresh ginger, peeled and minced
2 chipotle canned in adobo, seeded and minced
2 medium carrots, peeled and diced (4oz)
1 cup du Puys lentils
¼ tsp cumin
1 bay leaf
1 cup heavy cream (or 1 can coconut milk for vegan) 
3 cups vegetable stock or water (see NOTE)
Salt and black pepper, to taste
Chopped cilantro for garnish

1. Heat the oil in a medium-sized pot over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, ginger, chilli, and carrots and sauté till the onions are soft and translucent.
2. Add the lentils, cumin, bay leaf, cream (or milk), and stock (or water). Turn heat to low and simmer until the liquid has reduced and the lentils are tender, about 40 minutes.
3. Season with salt and pepper to taste. If you like, use a hand blender to gently purée the soup for a thicker consistency. 
4. Garnish with cilantro. Serve over rice.

NOTE: If you prefer a thicker dal, you can simply subtract the total amount of broth/water, which I tend to prefer if it's meant to be part of a larger ensemble of dishes. Just keep in mind that the bare minimum required to cook the lentils with NO liquid left is 2 cups to every cup of pulses.