Rinse the lentils well. Place in a large pan with the bay leaf and just cover with water. Bring to the boil and simmer for 20 minutes or until the lentils are soft and have collapsed.
After ten minutes add the garlic, spices, salt, pepper and vegetables. You may need to add a little more water at this stage if the lentils are looking dry. Stir and continue to simmer for another 5 minutes.
Add the coconut milk and simmer for a further few minutes until everything is cooked to perfection.
Meanwhile fry the onions gently in the coconut oil for 15 minutes or so until they have caramelised.
Add the cumin and kalonji seeds after the first 5 minutes and stir from time to time.
Just before serving, stir half of the onions into the dhal, then scatter the rest over the top.
Notes
Soaking the lentils and rice for at least an hour prior to cooking reduces the cooking time. The longer they soak, the less cooking is required.Cooking lentils with a bay leaf is meant to make them more digestible.Serve with rice or flat breads and yoghurt if liked.Please note: calories and other nutritional information are per serving. They’re approximate and will depend on exact ingredients used.