Wash the lentils thoroughly in cold water. In a large saucepan put the lentils, turmeric and enough water to cover the lentils and bring to the boil. As the dal is liable to boil over, (depends how much water you put), keep an eye on the pan and skim the froth.
Lower the heat, add salt, cover the pan and simmer gently till the dal is soft, keep adding more water if needed. Stir well till the dal and water are well mixed and smooth. In a frying pan heat the butter and fry the onions, garlic and chillies and add the ginger. Fry gently over a medium heat until the onions are lovely and soft. Note: Here, if you'd like to add some heat to the dal, you can chop up one of the chillies and fry it off for a couple of minutes with the garlic/onions.
Very carefully turn the contents of the frying pan into the dal as the fat splutters when poured into the liquid. Stir through gently to incorporate. Now judge how thick the consistency of the dal is by eye and add in some extra water if you would like a looser mixture. Remove the whole chillies and use as a pretty garnish Serve up and enjoy. :)
