I eat rice and dal every day. I think I've written about it before, but to refresh your memory, read more here.
Dal is amazing and there an infinite number of ways to prepare it. There are rows of different kinds, colors, and shapes of lentils in stores here.
I will do my best to describe one of the ways Kaplana prepares it. Here is a Cooking Light version that is also very good, and will have the methods/ingredients most readily available to you.
If you don't have/use a pressure cooker, I would follow the instructions from the CL recipe to start.
My best approximation (eye-balling, looking over a shoulder :))
a) In pressure cooker, combine:
1 1/3 c. lentils (split lentils)
3 c. water (less used in this version b/c of pressure cooker)
3/4 t. tumeric
1 t. salt
2 Roma tomatoes, cut into 6 wedges
1 sm. red onion (about 1/2 c.?) sliced
4 sm. green chilis (very spicy, like serrano? maybe sub. 1 jalapeño?)
Cook over high heat for 2 whistles, turn down heat to low, turn off after third whistle. Remove top when steam has released.
b) In large saucepan, saute:
1 sm. onion, chopped
1 green chili
4 garlic cloves, crushed
3/4 t. cumin seed
c) Add contents of pressure cooker to saucepan and heat for 5 minutes, "boil nicely".
d) Garnish with freshly chopped cilantro.
