Rinse the toor dal and keep it aside.
Chop onion, ginger and garlic.
Take only tender part of methi plant and rinse well. Chop rinsed methi leaves and tomato.
Take oil in a cooker and heat it. Add in cumin seeds.
When cumin seed splutters, add in whole red chilli, green chilli, finely chopped garlic and ginger. Saute it for a while.
Add in chopped onion. Saute it until the onions are translucent.
Add in chopped tomato and turmeric powder. Fry until tomatoes are mushy. Note that tomato is an optional ingredient in menthe palle.
Add in chopped methi leaves and fry them for a while.
Add in 2 cups of water or double the quantity of dal.
Add in rinsed toor dal. Mix it well and cook it in the pressure cooker by making 3 - 4 whistles. You can also add precooked dal.
Once the pressure subsidies you can see dal is well cooked but not mushy.
Add in chopped coriander leaves, salt and cumin powder. Again cumin powder is an optional ingredient.
Smash it and mix it well using a flat spatula.
Add in required water. If using as an accompaniment with jowar roti or chapathi make it little thick. If using as an accompaniment with rice add little more water to get thick gravy consistency. Bring it to boil. Serve it with jowar roti or chapathi or rice along with hot ghee.