Add cinnamon stick, cloves and bay leaves. Now add whole jeera/cumin seeds and the chopped onions and green chilies and fry till the onions are browned.
Add the ginger-garlic paste and fry for a minute or till the raw aroma of gingergarlic disappears.
Add the tomatoes and fry again for a few minutes till the tomatoes become soft.
Add all the dry powders, cover the pan and cook on a low flame till the oil separates from the masala.
Add the boiled masoor dal to the masala mix well and add salt.
Add water according to the consistency of the dal required.
Simmer the dal on a low or medium flame for 15- 20 minutes to get a creamier consistency