Dal Tadka

rinse the lentils and add them to the pressure cooker. the below pic shows only tuvar or arhar dal. you can also cook the lentils in a pot. just soak the lentils for an hour or two before you cook them in a pot.

cooking the lentils in a pot, will take more time than cooking in the pressure cooker.

to the lentils, add chopped onions, tomato, green chilies, ginger

pour 2.5 cups water. if cooking in a pot, then about 4 to 4.5 cups water can be added.

add turmeric powder and asafoetida. stir well.

pressure cook the lentils for about 7 to 8 whistles or more till they become soft and creamy. mash the dal with a wired whisk or with a spoon and keep aside

once the desired consistency is reached, add cream (optional), garam masala powder, crushed kasuri methi, chopped coriander leaves and salt. switch off the fire.

mix well so that everything combines uniformly. check salt before you add the tempering. if less than add more salt.

next heat oil or ghee or butter in a small pan. first add cumin seeds and crackle them. the cumin should get fried and not be raw but don't burn them.

now add red chilies, asafoetida and chopped garlic. let the garlic brown and the red chilies change color.

lastly add kasuri methi (add kasuri methi, if you have not added before to the dal) and red chili powder. stir and switch off the stove. make sure to fry the tempering ingredients at a low flame, so that you don't burn them.

pour the entire tempering along with the oil/ghee into the dal

you can mix the dal or serve the dal tadka with the tempering on top it. garnish dal tadka with coriander leaves. serve dal tadka hot with steamed basmati rice, jeera rice or with rotis or phulkas.