Wash twice and soak the dals in a cup of water for 30 minutes. Pressure Cook the dals with some more water added about ½ cup, salt to taste and ½ tsp haldi for 4 whistles on high, then leave for 2 minutes in medium flame.
Heat up ghee in a pan. Crush up ginger, garlic and chili using a mortar-pestle(this is very important. By crushing ginger-garlic-chilies in mortar-pastel gives a unique texture and flavor). Add the cumin seeds to the ghee, once sizzles add the bay leaf, dried red chili, hing, along with the crushed ginger-garlic-chilies mixture.
Saute for a moment, add the cardamom, crushed coriander seeds, chili flakes. Cook for a minute.
Add the onions, ¼ tsp salt and cook till brown. Once starts leaving fat and is brown, add the tomato puree, salt to taste and cook for 10-12 mins or until starts leaving sides and fat.
Once done, add a handful of chopped coriander, cumin powder, garam masala, kashmiri red chili powder, coriander powder, amchoor and kasoori methi. Mix well and cook for another 2-3 mins.
Add the cooked dal, and cook for 3-4 mins.. Make sure the dal is not watery, It should be of thicker consistency. Add ½ cup water(if needed), mix well and cook for 5 mins. Switch off the flame.
Heat up a charcoal on open flame until fiery red. Place a small stainless steel bowl in the dal and make sure it stays and does not sink, put in the hot charcoal and pour in a few drops of ghee. Quickly cover the pan. This will bring the real dhaba/restaurant taste, the smoky taste. Let this be like for 10 mins. If you don’t like the smoky flavor, you can omit this step.
Take the bowl out, mix the dal and relish with rice, pulav or for that matter naan or paratha.
