For tadka

• 2 tabtespoons ghee (oil for a vegan dish)
• 1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 2 dried red chilies
• 1/2 to 1 tablespoon garlic fine chopped (I use 1 tbsp)
• 1/8 teaspoon hing (asafoetida) (or gluten-free hing)
• 1/3 teaspoon red chilli powder

HOW TO MAKE THE RECIPE

Cook Dal

1. Add dal to a pot or pressure cooker and rinse them very well with lots of water. Rub the lentils well with your hand while you rinse. Drain completely.
2. Pour water and pressure cook the dal on a medium heat for 3 to 4 whistles. To cook in instant pot, pressure cook on high for 10 minutes. To cook in pot check my notes below.
3. When the pressure drops naturally, open the lid. Dal should be soft cooked.
4. Lightly mash keeping some of the dal intact. Add more water only if required to bring to consistency.
5. While the lentils cook, to a medium pan pour oil and heat it. Add cumin seeds to the hot oil.
6. They will begin to splutter, then add ginger garlic and saute on low heat until fragrant.
7. Add onions and green chilies. Fry them until slightly golden.
8. Reduce the heat. Add red chilli powder, turmeric and garam masala. Give a quick stir.
9. Stir in the tomatoes along with salt. Saute until the tomatoes become soft. The mixture begins to smell good at this stage.
10. Transfer this to the cooked dal and simmer for about 6 to 7 minutes. Taste test and add more satt at this stage. Then add kasuri methi and give the boiling dal a good stir. Add coriander leaves and turn off the heat.

How to Make Dal Tadka
1. Transfer the hot cooked lentils to a serving bowl. Pour 2 tbsps ghee to a small pan
& heat it on a medium heat.
2. Add cumin seeds and let them fry on a low heat until aromatic.
3. Next add red chilies and give a good stir. Add garlic and fry until Iight and aromatic. Do not brown.
4. Stir in asafoetida and red chili powder. Quickly remove from heat and pour the tadka over the dal.
5. Garnish dal tadka with coriander leaves. Squeeze some lemon juice over the dal while serving. Serve with Basmati rice, roti, paratha, naan, jeera rice or ghee rice.

Notes
- For 1 cup dal mentioned in the recipe I use 3/4 cup Masoor dal (split pigeon peas), ¼ cup moong dal (or red lentis/masoor) & 2 tablespoons chana dal (Bengal gram). If you want, you may just use 1 cup toor dal. This combination is what makes this dal tadka so much special in flavor, texture and taste.
- Water: if using only masoor dal, you will require lesser water to add at the later stage i.e while cooking with onion tomato masala.
- To cook in a pot, simply soak the lentils for at least 15 to 30 minutes. Drain the water and pour 4 cups of fresh water. Let it come to a boil over high heat. Then simmer for 20-30 minutes. If required, add more hot water. Remove any scum that forms on top of the dal and discard it. Turn off the heat when they are soft and mushy. Follow the rest of the recipe.
- To cook in an Instant Pot, you may simply make the onion tomato masala first in the steel insert and add the lentils. Pressure cook for 10 mins. When the pressure drops, make a separate tadka in a small pan and add it.