• Wash the dal: Add dal and regular tap water to a bowl and swirl with your hands. Then drain the water. Repeat 2-3 times until the water is clear.

Pressure Cooker/ Instant Pot Method

• Transfer the rinsed dal to an instant pot or stovetop pressure cooker. Add 1/2 teaspoon turmeric, 1 teaspoon salt, and 3 cups of water. Give it a stir. Pressure cook for 2-3 whistles or for 5 minutes in the instant pot. Let the pressure release naturally.

Stovetop Method

• It is best to soak dal for an hour if using this method. In a medium pot, add the dal and 4 cups of water. Let it soak for an hour. Add 1/2 teaspoon turmeric and 1 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil on medium-high heat.
• Now, reduce the heat to medium-low and let the dal simmer for about 30 minutes until it is soft and can be mashed easily.
• While the dal is cooking, you will see yellow/white scum on the top; this can be removed with a slotted spoon. Stir at regular intervals. Once the dal is cooked, remove from heat.

Make tadka

• Heat ghee or oil in a large pan or dutch oven on medium heat. Add the cumin seeds and let them sizzle. Then add the hing. Cook for a few seconds.
• Add the diced onions and cook for 3-4 minutes until they are soft and light golden in color.
• Add the crushed ginger, garlic and green chili. Saute for another minute until the raw smell is gone.
• Add the chopped tomatoes, coriander powder and red chili powder. Give it a stir. Cook for 5-6 minutes until the tomatoes soften. You can cover with a lid for 2-3 minutes which helps to soften the tomatoes quickly. You want to cook this onion tomato masala until oil oozes out from the sides.
• Add the boiled dal to the pan and mix. You can add 1/2-1 cup of water to adjust the consistency of the dal as you prefer.
• Let the dal simmer for 3-4 minutes on medium-low heat. Add the garam masala and kasuri methi (crush between the palms of the hand before adding) if using. Add the lemon juice and chopped cilantro.

Dhungar Method (optional)

• Place a trivet and small steel bowl on top of the dal (it should not submerge in the dal). Heat a piece of charcoal over a direct flame until it is red hot. Now, place this hot charcoal in that steel bowl and pour 1 teaspoon of oil on top. This will make fumes come out of the charcoal. Immediately cover the pan with a lid for 5-7 minutes. The longer you keep, the smokier the dal gets. Remove the lid, the steel bowl with charcoal, and the trivet.

Make Second Tadka

• In a small tadka pan, heat the ghee. Then, add the dried red chili, garlic, and hing. Once the garlic is slightly golden in color, turn off the heat. Then, add the kashmiri red chili powder for that red color in the tempering.
• Add the tadka to the dal. Save some tadka to add after transfering the dal to a serving bowl.
• Dal Tadka is ready to be served. Serve with some warm rice or roti for a comforting meal.