Drain and rinse your lentils several times. The water will be cloudy, just do it a few times until it is mostly clear.
Place lentils in a medium pot and cover with chicken broth. Bring to a hard simmer. Stir occasionally and skim off foam until lentils are cooked. Set aside.
In a large pot, melt some oil on med-low heat, and add in the bay leaf, cinnamon, cumin, cloves, cardamon, and about 1 tbsp curry powder. Stir until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Add diced onion and stir. Cook for a few minutes, stirring occasionally, until onions are softened. You may need to add a bit more oil to keep the spices from burning.
Add garlic, stir and cook for about 30 seconds, then add in the can of tomatoes. When the lentils are done, add them along with any remaining liquid in the pot. Turn up the heat to medium.
Add the remaining ingredients and let it simmer until the coconut milk has melted. Wait about 5 minutes and taste. Adjust seasonings to your liking.