Red lentils with tomato

Ingredients

1 cup	Red lentils, skinless masoor dal, washed and drained (Main)
1 tsp	Salt
3 cups	Water
2 cups	Chopped tomatoes
3 Tbsp	Oil
1	Onion, chopped
3	Garlic cloves, minced
1 Tbsp	Fresh ginger, minced
1 Tbsp	Ground coriander
1 tsp	Ground cumin
1 tsp	Turmeric
1 tsp	Cayenne pepper

Directions

1. Bring red lentils and 3 cups of water to a boil. Cook partially covered at a simmer for half an hour. Add salt and tomatoes and continue cooking for another 15-20 minutes, until done.
2. Once the lentils are cooked, puree with an immersion blender, if desired, for a smoother consistency.
3. Put oil in a wide, shallow pan over medium-high heat. Add chopped onion and cook until it starts to brown. Add ginger and garlic and cook for one minute. Add spices and cook for one more minute. Add a ladle of the lentils to the onion and spices mixture, and then pour everything into the lentils.
4. Cook for 10 minutes more to blend all the flavours.