gujarati dal

INGREDIENTS:
cooking the dal:
•¾ cup arhar dal/tuvar dal/pigeon pea lentils
•2 to 2.5 cups water
other ingredients:
•1 small tomato chopped (optional)
•1 or 2 green chilies + ½ inch ginger, crushed in a mortar pestle to a paste or about 1 tsp ginger green chili paste
•½ tsp turmeric powder/haldi powder
•½ tsp coriander powder/dhania powder
•½ tsp cumin powder/jeera powder
•½ tsp red chili powder/lal mirch powder
•3 to 4 dried kokums * check notes
•1.5 to 2 cups water or add as required
•1.5 to 2 tbsp organic powdered jaggery powder or grated jaggery or add as required
•1 tbsp chopped coriander leaves/dhania patta
•salt as required
for tempering/tadka:
•2 tbsp ghee or oil
•½ tsp mustard seeds/rai
•½ tsp cumin seeds/sabut jeera
•¼ tsp fenugreek seeds/sabut methi
•2 to 3 small dry red chilies or 2 regular to large dry red chili, halved and deseeded or kept whole
•8 to 10 curry leaves/kadi patta
•a generous pinch of asafoetida/hing
•3 to 4 cloves/lavang
•1 inch cinnamon/dal chini
INSTRUCTIONS:
1.first pick the arhar dal or pigeon pea lentils for stones etc. then rinse the lentils thoroughly in running water for 4-5 times.
2.add the rinsed dal in a pressure cooker. add water. pressure cook for 7 to 8 minutes on a medium to high flame.
3.the lentils have to be cooked completely. mash the dal very well with a wired whisk or with a spoon. the lentils should be mashed very well.
4.add green chili-ginger paste, turmeric powder, red chili powder, coriander-cumin powder, jaggery, salt, tomato(optional) and kokums. stir.
5.add water. stir again and keep the dal back on the stove top.
6.bring the dal to a simmer on a low flame for 7 to 8 minutes.
7.for the tempering, heat oil or ghee in a small pan. crackle mustard seeds first and then add cumin.
8.add the dry red chilies, cloves, cinnamon, curry leaves, asafoetida and fenugreek seeds. stir and fry for some seconds.
9.pour this tempering on the simmering dal. switch off the flame.
10.add coriander leaves. finally stir the dal.
11.serve gujarati dal with steamed rice.