Rinse lentils and bring to a boil in 3 cops water. Reduce heat and cover. Cook for 30-40 minutes until lentils are very soft, the consistency of thick soup.
Add cumin, coriander, turmeric, salt and cayenne. Allow to simmer uncovered while preparing garlic and mustard seeds.
In a small frypan, heat oil to med hi. Mince garlic and saute in oil with mustard seeds until just beginning to brown. Add to dal and serve immediately. For those of us in coastal California, this is very easy and tastes great with frozen fatfree Indian rice at Trader Joes.