Place lentils in a pan with the salt, cover with the water and bring to the red lentils. Remove the froth, reduce the heat and put the lid on the pan – leave to simmer for 10 minutes. Check the lentils are cooked by squeezing them between your fingers. Once soft remove from the heat.
In a frying pan heat the oil or butter. Using a fork pierce the whole chillies and add to the pan with a bay leaf and the cumin seeds. When the seeds sizzle, remove the chilli and set to one side for your garnish. Add the onion and garlic and fry until lightly browned. Reduce the heat and add the tomatoes, ginger, turmeric, fenugreek and the chopped chilli.
Gently let the ingredients cook down for about 10 minutes to make a thick masala paste. It should have the consistency of a thick soup but if it’s too thick just add a little boiling water and remove from the heat. If you prefer it thicker just leave it on the heat to reduce until you get the consistency you want. Check the seasoning and add a little salt if required. Stir in the garam masala, coriander and top with the whole chillies to serve.
