The cucumbers in this recipe get cooked briefly; if you don’t like that idea just add them raw at the end. Also this dish is traditionally made spicy with fresh green chiles.
Rinse 1/4 C. red lentils in a colander or sieve.
Wash 1 lb. of potatoes and cut into very small squares.
Heat 1 C. coconut milk and 3 C. water in a saucepan. Add the lentils and potatoes and simmer until they are both tender.
Slice cucumber into 1/2″ thick rounds or half rounds to make 1/2 C.
Cut off the stem of 1 gypsy or Corni di Toro pepper and remove the seeds, then slice into thin rounds or half rounds.
Remove the leaves from Basil stems to make 1/2 C. Wash and then add to the curry with the cucumber and pepper plus salt to taste. Cook on low heat for 5 minutes.
In a separate pan, heat 2 T. ghee or olive oil and add 4 t. black mustard seeds. When the seeds start to pop, add the oil and mustard to the curry.
Serve with rice and plain yogurt or raita with onions and cucumbers.