So let's take a look at what we need to serve six people! (Or, if you live alone, this makes one week's worth of healthy packed lunches---daal keeps in the fridge a long time, or you can freeze it)



In three parts:
In the middle is the bean step.
1 cup split red lentils
3 cups water
1 Tbsp sweet acid (lemon juice, tamarind juice)

On the left is the chapati step.
2 cups "chaki atta," or all purpose flour.*
0.5 cup warm water, and a cup with water to dip your fingers in.
1 stick of butter for dabbing on the chapatis as they cook.

*Chaki atta (Golden Temple or Sujata are some popular brands) is a very fine grind of whole wheat flour with some bran added. It's a pretty color, and the flavor is nice and nutty. If you don't live by an Indian market, you might have a hard time finding this---so just to make sure it works with all-purpose flour, that's what I used in these pictures. Find it if you can, but don't sweat it if you can't. I've also seen people do 1 cup all purpose flour + 1 cup whole wheat flour, to give a little of the nuttiness.

On the right is the flavor step.
1 Tbsp ghee, butter, or oil
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 onion
1 clove garlic, (minced)
enough fresh ginger (minced) to make ~1 tsp
2-5 bird's eye chilis (Thai chilis)---to taste!
dried spices:
2 tsp turmeric
1 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp cayenne powder
1 tsp garam masala
1 tsp salt

(All of these spices except garam masala come from my standard grocery store, garam masala I order from Penzey's. If you're having a hard time finding each of the individual spices, you could use a pre-mixed "curry powder," but you won't be able to have quite as much fun!)

I cook the lentils in a medium saucepan, the spices in a small skillet, and the chapatis in a large skillet. You'll also have more fun with chapatis if you use a rolling pin. When I lived with roommates with an electric pancake griddle, chapatis were even easier to make---so if you have a griddle I'd suggest using that. less