Dal Tadka

Instructions

1. Place the toor dal, chopped tomato, onion, green chilies, ginger, turmeric and water in a saucepan or pressure cooker. If using a saucepan, bring to a boil, lower the heat, cover loosely and simmer for 30 to 40 minutes until the dal is very soft. Stir occasionally and add a splash of water if needed. If using a pressure cooker, cook until the dal is fully soft and mashable.
2. Once cooked, mash the dal lightly with the back of a spoon or whisk until creamy but not completely smooth. Stir in the salt. Add a little hot water if it looks too thick. Dal tadka should be loose enough to pour, not stiff like mashed potatoes having a bad day.
3. In a small pan, heat the 1 tablespoon ghee or oil over medium heat. Add the cumin seeds and let them sizzle for a few seconds. Add the asafoetida and sliced garlic. Cook until the garlic just starts to turn pale gold.
4. Add the chopped tomato, Kashmiri chili powder and ground coriander. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes until the tomato softens and the mixture looks glossy.
5. Scrape this masala base into the cooked dal and simmer everything together for 5 minutes so the flavors settle in.
6. For the final tadka, heat the remaining ghee in the same small pan. Add the cumin seeds and let them crackle. Add the sliced garlic and cook until golden. Add the dried red chilies and curry leaves carefully. Cook for a few seconds more, then take the pan off the heat and stir in the Kashmiri chili powder.
7. Pour the hot tadka straight over the dal. Cover for 1 minute to trap the aroma, then uncover and stir gently. Finish with cilantro and lemon juice if using. Serve hot.