Chana dal: Box mix vs. homemade?

Gardener972

That should be "Box mix vs. homemade?" but I couldn't edit the title. Tonight I'm using a box mix to make chana dal (adding onion & tomato) and it tastes bland to me so I started adding spices to it. I think I'll stick with the full recipe as it's so much fuller (is that a word?) in flavor! Do you use box mixes to do you start from scratch? Do you have a preference in the type of mix you use?

machadinha

Er, Gardener and with all due respect, you won't need us to confirm that yes, using ready-made products adding a little flavor and creativity of your own won't hurt if you feel it's called for.

Come on, girl, woman, man, whatever the hell you may be, a little adventurousness! What's keeping you!

ps I personally like to start from scratch, then again others find I spend a ridiculous amount of time in the kitchen. Others again think that's cute. Myself, I just enjoy myself there -- if I can be bothered to get started at all. Hey, just make do with the time and products you have at your disposal, you know. I can make you an omelette in ten minutes or a pasta in twenty using yesterday's products that no one I know has ever said no to

(As for any box mixes, I don't think we have them here [well, maybe in some specialized shops], so I'd have to start from scratch anyway. Lovely dish, never made it though, so would have to see. Shouldn't be too hard I imagine, I use plenty of chickpeas for other recipes. You can get them ready and tinned here, or dried and requiring something like a night of soaking like most beans do I suppose.)

You can just search the web for recipes. Try the alternate spellings of channa and dhal respectively while you're at it.

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snonymous

This is the first time Ive heard of anyone making a basic like dal out of a 'box mix' !!! Dont you have a pressure cooker. Dal gets cooked in a jiffy in a pc. After its cooked you can temper the dal with whatever you like, to your taste.

puchoo

It is here!! Everyone from sound guys to cooks use it repeatedly.!

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jyotirmoy

try:
1 cup chana daal
7 cup water
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cayenne
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1/4 tsp cumin powder
1/4 tsp corriander powder
1 tblsp tamarind pulp or 2tbsps lemon juice
1 tsp sugar
1 tblsp vegetable oil
1/4 tsp black mustard seeds
1 chopped garlic clove

Cook the dal with all the ingredients except mustard seeds and garlic. After the dal is cooked, heat oil in a pan and when hot add the mustard seeds and garlic. Saute a little and pour these along with the oil to the simmering dal. This is called tadka.

You may try addind this tadka to your box mix dal.