Put the cooker onto the fire.
Pour in the oil or ghee. Use the ghee if you have a taste for it. It does add to the flavour of this particular dal.
Let it heat up for a minute.
Drop in the cumin and after a few seconds, the aniseed. Let them turn just a shade darker. You will smell the aroma as soon as it happens.
Add the onions, chillies and ginger.
Stirring every once in a while, fry till the onions turn golden brown.
Add the tomato.
Keep frying till the fat separates and the tomato becomes mushy.
Add the turmeric and salt.
Fry for a few seconds.
Add the dal along with the water in which it was soaked.
Stir, close the cooker and let it come up to maximum pressure.
As soon as it whistles, turn the heat down and keep the dal on the fire for 5 minutes more.
Let the pressure reduce by itself.
Open the cooker, stir the dal and check that it is the consistency you like.
Check the seasonings too.