Mise en place (Preparation) Click here   

• Put salt and water in a small pot with lentils.
• Add Merkato spice, 1 TBS ground mustard seed, and 2 tsp ginger powder to the lentils and simmer until they’re soft, about 35-45 minutes. Lentils should be tender and just starting to split but are not mushy. Drain well. Rinse with cold water and leave to drain strainer.
• Dice the peppers, Onions to a fine dice
• Deseed and dice tomatoes small
• Measure out the mustard seed and cumin
• Juice the lemon
• Mince or crush garlic
• Rough chop parsley
• Measure out black pepper and ginger powder

Directions

1. Put half of the oil in a small skillet and heat on medium-high. Add 2 tsp of the mustard seeds until they just begin to pop then add 1 tsp cumin seeds. Cook for a few more minutes but do not let them scorch. Pull the seeds from the pan and onto a paper towel to drain.
Grind remaining cumin, ginger powder, and mustard seeds and add to a bowl with the Dijon, lemon juice, garlic, and remaining oil.
2. grind the toasted cumin and mustard seeds into a powdery paste and add to the sauce with a couple of tablespoons of the lentils and mix until an emulsified sauce.
2. Add to the lentils and mix with a spatula until a few of the lentils just begin to break down.
3. Add all other ingredients and continue to fold until well blended.