Rinse the lentils well until the water is clear and drain. Soak chana dal with ½ teaspoon baking soda for 1 hour, rinse and drain. Tip: Quick method — soak in hot water for ½ hour.
In a medium cooking pot, take the drained chana dal, bayleaves, whole spices (see note), sliced garlic, ginger, turmeric, water and bring it to a boil.
Lower the heat and cook it for about 45 minutes to 1 hour. (Instant pot method in notes.) Add salt to taste and continue to cook until most lentils start breaking down, become a bit mushy and turn into a thick-sauce like consistency. You should be able to mash dal easily.
Cook the dal until it reaches a consistency that is thinner than what is desired, because it will thicken further after cooking. Tip: Check notes for more tips.
Restaurant Style Tadka
Heat oil or ghee in a heavy bottomed sauce pan. Place your palm three inches above the oil and when it is hot enough, add cumin seeds.
When the seeds start to splutter, add dried red chillies. Sauté a little bit and then add grated ginger and garlic.
Sauté few minutes and add chopped onions and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add chopped tomatoes and cook until softened.
Then add 1 green chili, turmeric, ¾ teaspoon chili powder, ground coriander, ground cumin, garam masala and kasuri methi. Stir and turn off the heat. Don’t let the spices burn.
Add ⅔ of the tempered spice mixture, and half the cilantro to the cooked dal. Stir and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes.
Transfer chana dal to a serving dish.
Tadka Topping
Warm up remaining ⅓ tempered spice mixture. Add ghee, asafetida (if using), ¼ teaspoon chili powder, julienned ginger and 1 sliced green chili. Stir and cook 1 minute. Top it on dal with remaining cilantro. Serve hot with steamed rice.
Notes
Chana Dal: To make it more saucy, blend some of the cooked dal. You could also add ¼ cup of masoor or moong dal to the chana dal, as those lentils cook faster and will give a saucy consistency.
Whole Spices: If you prefer, remove the whole spices after the dal is cooked. Or they can be wrapped in muslin cloth like the one used for bouquet garni or a metal mesh cooking infuser.
Kashmiri Chili Powder: It is less pungent than regular red chili powder, and has a darker red color. Smoked paprika can be used for less heat and smoky flavor.
Lentil Foam: The lentils may foam while cooking. If that happens, leave the pot uncovered for a while and skim it off. Once it subsides, you can place a lid on the pot or keep it ajar if it continues to boil over. Add turmeric after the foam settles down.
Instant Pot or Pressure Cooker: Cook it under pressure for 10 to 12 minutes (about 8 whistles). Let the pressure release naturally. The lentils should be soft and easy to mash.
Ghee is available at most supermarkets. Or you can make it at home. Check out the notes section of chickpea cookies recipe.
Chana dal is available at Indian grocery stores, major American grocery stores or online. Buy fresh stock from stores with a quicker turnover.
Nutrition facts are approximate and do not include any added salt.