Wash and soak the whole green gram for 6–8 hours or overnight.

️ Place the fennel seeds, cumin seeds, pepper, cinnamon, cardamom, and cloves in a tea infuser or muslin cloth. Add it to a pressure cooker along with the soaked green gram, water, and ghee. Pressure cook for about 8 whistles or until the green gram is soft.

️ Grind the garlic, ginger, green chillies, coriander leaves, and a little water into a smooth paste.

️ Heat peanut oil in a pan. Add the bay leaf and sauté for a few seconds. Add the onions and sauté until golden.

️ Add the tomatoes and cook until they turn soft and mushy.

️ Add the ground paste, Kashmiri chilli powder, turmeric powder, chana masala, and garam masala. Sauté until the raw smell disappears.

️ Remove the spice potli from the cooked dal. Add the sautéed masala to the dal, adjust the consistency with water if needed, and simmer for 10–15 minutes.

️ Heat ghee in a small pan. Fry the sliced garlic until golden. Turn off the heat, then add the cumin seeds, Kashmiri chilli powder, and asafoetida. Give it a quick stir and immediately pour the tempering over the dal.