Curried Lentils with Kale and Coconut Milk

Adapted from Milk Street's recipe for Goan lentil curry (masoor dal). If you subscribe to their newsletter, you'll get this recipe along with this one (Lightning Fast Sichuan Noodles with Chilies and Scallions) and 10 other enticing ones for free. If you like video guidance, I made this in Instagram Stories. I've made a few small changes: In place of fennel, I've used cumin. The two spices are not similar, but I like cumin, and I like cumin in curries. You could certainly use both. I like to toast the cumin and coriander seeds and grind them in a mortar and pestle, but using pre-ground spices is fine. I like to use two kinds of lentils: French green lentils, which hold their shape, and red lentils, which break down. You certainly could use all red, which is what the recipe calls for. I've use kale in place of spinach. I omit the coconut and tomato garnish. Don't be afraid to make this ahead of time — it's even tastier on day two. Recipe doubles well, too. If you like even more spice, check out Cal Peternell's Dal recipe