Dhal

This is a typically Indian recipe (don't get scared - it's still within the realms of the Simple Foodies concept) and is also widely prepared in Pakistan, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. Its basic ingredient is an orange lentil (called dal or dhal) and here in Argentina, in the Barrio Chino, it is strangely called "lentejas Turcas"(Turkish lentils). The other ingredients include cilantro / coriander / dhania, dried coriander, tumeric and cumin (all available at good supermarkets / Barrio Chino (Argentina) and just about all over elsewhere. The last ingredient is your recently-made garlic and ginger paste.
Soak two cups of dhal lentils in cold water for about 30 minutes. Rinse twice (the water will be milky) and then boil in water until you get a thick soup consistency.
Meanwhile, dice one large onion and fry in about two tablespoons of oil, accompanied by garlic and ginger paste. Add a teaspoon of coriander, a teaspoon of cumin and a teaspoon of tumeric as well as a half to one teaspoon of chili powder to taste. Salt according to your need. Once this has cooked through for a few minutes, add about 200g of finely chopped tomatoes and cook with the onion and spices until the tomatoes are soft and falling apart.
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Add the spicy mixture to the cooked lentils as well as a fist full of cilantro / coriander / dhania that has been chopped finely.
The food is served on a bed of (Basmati) rice (Barrio Chino) and garnished with cilantro / coriander / dhania.