Lentil beans

Ingredients:

Lentils beans - 1 cup
oil tempering - peanut oil, black mustard seeds, turmeric, hing powder (or 4 large cloves garlic cut into thin slices lengthwise)
black masala - 1 Tb
chili powder - to your taste
kokum ( Garcinia Mangostana L) - 2 pieces (optional for sourness)
If you don't have kokum add 1/4 tsp tamarind paste or squeeze 1/2 lemon while serving (optional)
chopped cilantro leaves - 2-3 tsps
freshly grated coconut - 3-4 Tb
gud or brown sugar - 1 Tb
salt to taste.

Recipe:

Remove stones from the beans. Soak beans for at least 2-3 hours. Cook the beans in pressure cooker.

If you don't have time for soaking the beans, dry roast them in a pan on the stove on low flame until
lightly brown or you smell the aroma of beans. Then wash the beans, add water and cook them in pressure cooker. 

Heat pan and add 2 tsp peanut oil.
Prepare oil tempering and add cooked beans.
Add brown sugar or gud, black masala.
Add chili powder to your taste.
Add kokum or tamarind paste and salt to taste.
Add 1/2 cup water if necessary and cook for 5 minutes.
Sprinkle with cilantro and coconut.
Serve as a side dish with Indian bread, or rice.

Notes:

1) I usually cook beans with garlic for evening meals.
2) You can use moong beans, black eyed peas instead of lentils
3) If you want to use moong beans roast them in a little bit of peanut oil before cooking or soak them for 3-4 hours and then remove water and tie them in thin cloth and keep them in a dark place to sprout. Check every day. Once sprouted use them right away or refrigerate.
4) If I am going to serve them with Indian bread ( chapati, roti, naan etc), I cook the beans until most of the water is evaporated. If I am going to serve it with rice I keep more water in them.
5) Add 1/2 Tb cumin powder for a little different taste.