Pratyusha Pan
Gather your ingredients
For the dal, you'll need 1 cup of toor dal (or half toor and half moong), 3 cups of water, ½ teaspoon of turmeric powder, 1 chopped tomato, and 1 teaspoon of salt, adjusted to taste. For the tadka, have ready 2 tablespoons of ghee (or oil), 1 teaspoon of cumin seeds, 4 finely chopped garlic cloves, 1 small finely chopped onion, 2 dried red chilies, 1 slit green chili, 1 teaspoon of Kashmiri red chili powder, and a pinch of hing. To finish, keep some chopped fresh coriander and a squeeze of lemon juice handy.
Rinse and cook the dal
Wash the dal 2 to 3 times until the water runs mostly clear. Add it to a pressure cooker with the water, turmeric, chopped tomato, and salt. Cook for 3 to 4 whistles on medium heat, then let the pressure release naturally. No cooker? Simmer in a covered pot for 30 to 35 minutes, adding more water if needed.
Mash to a creamy texture
Open the cooker and whisk the dal with a wooden spoon or whisk until smooth and creamy. If it looks too thick, stir in a little hot water until it reaches a pourable, soup-like consistency. Keep it warm on low heat while you make the tadka.
Make the tadka
Heat ghee in a small pan over medium heat. Add the cumin seeds and let them crackle, then add the hing, garlic, dried red chilies, and green chili. Sauté until the garlic turns golden. Add the onion and cook until soft and light brown, about 3 minutes. Take the pan off the heat and stir in the Kashmiri chili powder so it doesn't burn.
Combine and serve
Pour the hot tadka straight over the dal and cover the pot for a minute so the flavors infuse. Stir, then finish with fresh coriander and a squeeze of lemon. Serve hot with rice, jeera rice, or rotis.