Finely chop all veggies, heat olive oil over medium heat in a pot, and add celery, carrots, onion, garlic, and jalapeño to it.
Add cumin, chili powder, and ginger powder to the veggies and fry for 5-7 minutes or until they are golden.
Add tomatoes to pot and cook for 1-2 more mins.
Add rinsed lentils into the pot with the amount of water listed on the package (My ratio was 1.5 cups of water:1 cup lentils). You can also use chicken or vegetable broth.
Add bay leaves and cook the lentils covered on medium heat for 15-20 mins or until they are practically cooked (they should be fairly soft when they're done cooking).
When they are almost completely cooked, add 1 can of coconut milk and stir. Season well with salt and pepper, and cook for 2-3 more mins.
Serve with rice and top with parsley for dramatic effect! Drizzle with yogurt sauce if you’re feeling extra fancy.
Notes
Mix together yogurt sauce ingredients well and add more lemon juice to dilute if needed.