Is it a soup… Or is it a dal? According to Arnab Chaklader of My Annoying Opinions: "The boundary between dal and soup is a porous one; most dals can be eaten just as easily out of a bowl as over rice or with rotis. I think of this one as a soup, but really it’s quite nice over rice. The base recipe is the one I use most often to cook Bengali-style mushoor dal (split red lentils, masoor dal in Hindi). I blend that dal, simmer it with coconut milk and makrut lime leaves, and finish it with fish sauce. The final result is from somewhere between Bengal and Thailand, and so the name. Leave out the fish sauce if you want to make it vegan." 

• 1 cup Rancho Gordo masoor dal 
  
• ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
  
• 1 head garlic, cloves separated and peeled
  
• 3 fresh Thai bird chillies (or serrano chillies)
  
• 1 cup diced tomatoes
  
• 4 cups unsalted stock
  
• 1 teaspoon + 1 tablespoon ghee (divided use)
  
• 1 medium red onion, thinly sliced
  
• 1 teaspoon salt
  
• 1 cup coconut milk
  
• 2 makrut lime leaves 
  
• 1 teaspoon fish sauce, plus more to taste

1. In a medium saucepan, combine the dal, turmeric, garlic, chillies, tomatoes, and stock with 1 teaspoon ghee over medium heat; bring to a gentle boil. The mixture may rise as it comes to a boil; reduce heat to medium-low and stir until gently simmering; cover and cook for 20 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
2. While the dal is cooking: In a small skillet, warm the remaining 1 tablespoon of ghee over medium-low heat; add the onions and salt; cook, stirring, until completely browned.
3. Add the browned onions to the cooled dal, puree the mixture with an immersion blender in the pan until smooth (or transfer to a food processor or blender and process until smooth before returning to the pan). Return the pan to medium heat, and bring to a steady simmer. Add the coconut milk and lime leaves; simmer, stirring occasionally, for another 10 minutes. Add the fish sauce, half a teaspoon at a time, tasting as you go.
4. Ladle into bowls and serve.