Kaali Daal Tadka

Kaali dal/ lentils- 1 cup
Garlic- 4 medium sized cloves chopped
Ginger- 1.5 inches long and 1 inch thick size piece, chopped
Green chilly- 2-3 (depending on your taste) chopped
Onion- 1 medium sized, chopped
Tomato- 1 small sized, chopped
Haldi powder- ½ tea spoon
Red chilly powder (optional)- 1 Table Spoon (Tb. Sp.)
Dhania (coriander) powder- ½ Tb. Sp.
Oil- minimum: 5 Tb. Sp.; max…ur wish. PS- if the ingredients start charring and sticking to the bottom of the pressure cooker, add more oil.
It is advisable not to fry on high flame if you are an amateur. You may do it on medium flame. (I am assuming you will be cooking on a Gas-stove)

Wash kaali dal and soak them in water for 15-30 mins.
Heat 3 tb. Sp. Oil in the pressure cooker (lid off)
After the oil is a heated a bit, put salt (according to taste…1 tb. Sp. To begin with if you don't know the right proportion).
Fry chopped ginger a garlic in the oil.
When the garlic is turning a bit golden, put chopped onions along with and fry ginger, garlic and onion together. After a while add chopped green chillies in the same.
Once the onions become tender and start looking translucent, put ½ tea spoon Haldi powder; 1 tb.sp. red chilly powder (this is optional if you want it less hot), ½ Tb. Sp. Dhania (coriander powder). Stir the spices along with the ginger, garlic, onion and chilly and mix well. Add chopped tomatoes to this and stir again.
After half a minute, add the soaked dal (water drained) and fry for 1 min along with the rest of the mixture. Mix the dal well with other ingredients while frying.
Pour 3 cups of water to the mixture and stir well.
Secure the lid of the pressure cooker and allow the dal to cook for at least 2 pressure-cooker whistles.

Once the dal is cooked, check out the consistency. You can add more water to it and let it boil (lid off). Alternatively for a thicker consistency you may heat the dal more and let the water evaporate.

You may add a dollop of butter on top of hot dal to have it in true Punjabi style!