Bengali Red Dal Curry

Key spice: Panch Phanon Mix, also known as Five Spice (do not substitute Chinese Five Spice!)Equal proportions of whole cumin, fenugreek, anise, mustard, "Indian blackonion" seeds (kalunji). You will need to go to an Indian Store to get the last ingredient. It is not related to the onion.
1 1/2 C red lentils
3 1/2 C water
6 serrano chilies (or 3 jalepeno?), either whole or sliced in quarters
1/4 t turmeric, or more to taste
1 1/2 t salt
4 T ghee, butter or vegetable oil
1 C minced onions
1 C chopped tomatoes
1 T grated fresh ginger
2 T ghee or vegetable oil
1 T panch phanon mix
4 dried small red chilies
1-3 cloves garlic

There are three basic steps to this recipe: cooking the lentils in water,making a tomato/onion/ginger mush, and making a spiced oil. 1. Rinse lentils well, add water, serrano chilies, turmeric and salt.Bring carefully to boil and cook over low to medium heat, partially covered, for 25 minutes. Cover and cook another 10 minutes. Adjust salt. 2. While lentils are cooking, cook onions in a frying pan in the oil until they are golden brown (approximately 10 minutes), stirring constantly. Add tomatoes and ginger and continue cooking until the tomatoes decompose into a delicious and fragrant mush (approximately 8 minutes.) Stir constantly so that tomato mixture doesn't stick. Turn heat to low if necessary. 3. Scrape out this mush into the lentils and stir it in. Let lentils sit while you make the spiced oil. 4. Do a quick rinse of the frying pan, without soap, and dry thoroughly. Add the remaining 2T oil and heat over medium high heat. When oil is hot add panch phanon mix and heat until the seeds begin to pop, about 15 seconds. Add red chilies and fry for another 15 seconds, until theyturn a little darker.