Recipes for the Langar Meal, blended with blessings
Golden Temple’s Flat Roti Bread, India
Serves 4
| 2 | cups of whole wheat flour, plus more for dusting |
| 2/3 | cup warm water |
| 1 | teaspoon salt |
Combine flour and salt In a large mixing bowl, gradually add the water to the flour and mix well until you have stiff dough. Knead the dough until it yields a smooth texture and consistency. Cover with a slightly damp kitchen towel and let it rest for about 15 minutes.
Knead the dough again and divide into 8 equal portions. Roll the individual portions into round balls. Take 1 round ball at a time and flatten it into a round disk using your palms. Dust your work area and rolling pin with a little bit of flour to prevent sticking.
Gently roll the flattened ball into a circle, making sure the roti is even in thickness. Keep rolling until you have created a thin round roti approximately 7 to 8 inches in diameter.
Heat a large non-stick pan on medium heat, and carefully place the roti in the pan. After a minute or so, turn the roti. Both sides should be golden brown. Repeat and serve warm.
Black Daal from Gurdwara Goindwal Sahib, India
Serves 4
| 2 | cups whole Black Gram |
| 2 1/2 | cups water |
| Salt to taste | |
| 1 | red onion, finely chopped |
| 1 | medium tomato, finely chopped |
| 2 | inch fresh ginger root, peeled and minced |
| 1 | teaspoon turmeric |
| 2 | tablespoons vegetable oil |
| 2 | tablespoons cumin seeds |
| 1 | teaspoon cayenne pepper |
Soak the lentils overnight with enough water to cover them by 3 inches.
Drain and add 2 1/2 cups of water with salt, onion, tomato, ginger, turmeric, oil, cumin seeds, and cayenne pepper and bring it to a boil on high heat.
Continue to cook, removing and discarding any froth that rises to the top.
Reduce the heat to low and simmer, stirring continuously until the lentils are cooked and the dal is of thick consistency, about 35 to 45 minutes.
Kheer, Gurdwara Sahib Glen Cove, NY
Serves 4
| 1/2 | cup medium grain basmati rice |
| 2 | cups water |
| 1 1/2 | sugar |
| 2 1/2 | tablespoons ghee or clarified butter |
| 1 | teaspoon cinnamon powde |
Wash the rice twice to remove all the starch. Combine rice and 2 cups of water to a pot on a high flame and bring to a boil.
Reduce the heat to low and simmer until the rice is cooked, about 15 minutes.
Add the sugar and 2 1/2 tablespoons of ghee and let the mixture simmer, stirring continiously until the mixture starts to thicken to thick custard like consistency, about 10 minutes.
Garnish with cinnamon and serve hot or cold.
4 Comments
Hi Prem, these are basic simple recipes but feed the world. You really can’t recreate the same flavor at home – a lot has to do with the ambiance and devotion at the gurdwaras.
Thanks, Jai Singh. Careful – the spiritual underpinnings and blessings at the gurdwaras may yet make a believer out of you! I agree the langar food is delicious and I’ve enjoyed it since childhood.
What a humbling way to acknowledge that we are all equal. So appropriate and thoughtful of you to present this tradition at this time of grieving.
Lavina,
Thanks for your excellent article on langar recipes. Although I’m an agnostic, I have been visiting gurudwaras for their langar food which is always very, very tasty.