During my working days as a cabin crew, we would hardly get any time to cook a complete meal, eat it in peace, do the dishes and go to work. Who could do all that when you hardly had 10 hours between two flights to catch up on your rest and prepare for you next flight.
On one of days after coming back from a crazy long flight, my flat-mate and I were really craving for dal rice but just didn't have the energy to cook the dal separately, then give it a tadka etc etc. So we thought of putting it all together in the cooker and cooking it in 15 - 20 minutes, gobbling it and hibernating!
The best part is, because the onions and tomatoes are sautéed on a high flame and then water is added to it, the dal gets such a wonderful smoky taste, and hence the name 'Dhue ki Dal'
Hope you like it as much as I can live on it.
Bon Appétit