Rinse the dal thoroughly, washing it 4 times with water. Soak it in water for 10 minutes.

Place a pressure cooker on the stove. Add the toor dal, turmeric powder, coriander powder, red chili powder, sambar masala, 2 tablespoons ghee, salt to taste, and enough water. Close the lid and cook on medium heat for 3 to 4 whistles, then turn off the heat.

Open the pressure cooker lid. Heat a tadka (tempering) spoon or small pan on the stove. Add ghee, then add asafoetida and cumin seeds. When the cumin turns golden, add the whole dried red chilies and star anise. Once they are well roasted, turn off the heat. Sprinkle in the Kashmiri red chili powder, pour this tempering over the dal, and mix well. Add the tamarind chutney and mix thoroughly.

Your toor dal tadka is ready. Serve hot with rice or roti. This dish is very tasty and quick to make, and is commonly prepared in many households.