Heat a little ghee in a large saucepan.
Fry onion, whole spices, and chillies until fragrant.
Add in the garlic and curry leaves
Sauté for 30 seconds
Add in the tomatoes and cook for 2 minutes.
Add in the turmeric and washed red lentils.
Stir.
Pour 3 cups of boiling water, salt to taste and allow lentils to cook until soft to the touch.
Ensure that you always have liquid in your pot.
Lentils must not dry out.
When red lentils are cooked through, add in the can of split-pea dhal.
Using a hand blender, blend the dhal in the pot until smooth.
Place dhal back onto low heat and stir
Tadka (tempering)
Now in another small pan, heat a little ghee
Add in 1/2 tsp mustard seeds, 2 dry red chillies, 1/2 tsp jeera seeds, 1/2 tsp turmeric and curry leaves.
Fry until the mustard seeds start to pop and the ghee becomes foamy.
Pour the tadka onto the blended dhal.
Simmer for 2 minutes.
Garnish with freshly chopped coriander
