Dhal - Spiced Lentil soup

Thank you Simon Bryant this is delicious!

Ingredients
200g lentils or split peas (soak for a few hours)
2 garlic cloves
2.5cm piece ginger (sliced in chunks)
1 tsp mustard seeds, 1 tsp cumin seeds
1 onion chopped
3 tomatoes, chopped
a little red chili powder
2 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 Tbsp grated ginger, 1 Tbsp crushed garlic
1 Tbsp ghee & 1 Tbsp oil
Salt to taste
Lemon juice to taste
½ Tbsp Tamarind concentrate
3 Tbsp chopped coriander
2 tomatoes finely diced

Method
Boil the soaked lentils/dhal in a saucepan with cold water, whole garlic cloves and ginger chunks. Cook until soft. Drain, keep liquid but discard the ginger and garlic.
Heat a pan with ghee and oil. Add cumin and mustard seeds and gently heat till can smell the cumin. Fold in the onions, and fry until soft and lightly browned.
Add ginger and garlic paste and stir for 30 seconds.
Add the red chili powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder and then chopped tomato and salt. Cook until oil separates.
Add boiled lentils/dhal to the tomato mix, add more liquid to create the soup consistency you like, and allow it to simmer for 5 to 6 minutes.
Season to taste.
Add lemon juice, tamarind paste, diced tomato, chopped chilli (optional) and coriander and serve with chapattis.

Chook's note: if you want a quicker soup use red lentils they don't requite soaking. I make this in the van with tweaks here and there depending on what I have in the spice pantry and fridge - I try to always have grated ginger, lemon and lime juice in the freezer but travel with semi-dried ginger and chili and preserved lemon as well. Tinned tomatoes work OK but fresh are best if you can get there - on the Tanami Track? not likely. Just be creative and adjust till you achieve the right flavour for you,