Instant Pot Langar waali Daal aka Manh Chollyean di Daal

If you have been to a Gurudwara and have had Langar, then you know that there is no Daal in the whole world tastier than “langar waali daal”. It is known with different names, such as gurudwara waali daal (lentil dish that is cooked in a Sikh temple), manh choleyan di daal or Amritsari daal. It can be made with a combination of different types of lentils but more commonly a mix of manh (whole urad aka black lentil) and small portion of Cholleyan di Daal (split bengal gram) is used. Hence when cooked at home it is called, “Manh Cholleyan di Daal” but not langar waali daal.  Sikhs do not refer to the regular food cooked in the home kitchen as langar unless we are hosting a religious service in our home.

To see the recipe in action, watch my video on YouTube.

Some may confuse langar waali daal with the other popular daal variant “Daal makhani” but this recipe is completely different with its own unique taste. Daal makhani, is made with black lentil and kidney beans which yields a different taste altogether and has toamotes. A traditional gurudware waali daal is prepared with minimal ingredients and without the tomatoes to keep it fresh for longer in all weather. After reading my post I can guarantee that you can recreate this simply soulful and delicious langar waali daal at home and vouch for its taste yourself.

But before going over to the recipe, let me explain about langar or Guru ka langar.

The term ‘langar’ refers to the food served at a Gurudwara (Sikh place of worship). Sure, any place where food is given can be called Langar but every such langar cannot be called ‘Guru ka Langar’.  In Sikhism, Guru ka Langar is run in the name of Guru.  This concept is as old as Sikhism. It was started by Guru Nanak, the first of the 10 Sikh gurus, the tradition was imbibed and honored by all his successors. In fact, it was the third Guru that made it compulsory for all people, rich or poor, male or female, all sit in the same pangat (meaning rows or lines) to share and enjoy the food together. Its purpose was to support equality amongst all in the times when inequality was prevalent in medieval India.  In Sikh philosophy, people need physical nourishment before the spiritual, and by feeding whoever comes through the doors, the langar creates a true sense of unity. Hence, every gurdwara has a community kitchen that serve vegetarian meals to all, Sikh and non-Sikh alike.

Although Sikhs are not required to be vegetarian, only vegetarian food is served so that there are no barriers for anyone, whether they be religious or dietary.  Sikhs regularly donate food to the gurdwara, which volunteers cook in massive pots to make sure that no-one leaves hungry. Strict rules of hygiene and cleanliness are important when preparing the Langar (i.e., washed hands, never tasting it while cooking).

Some gurudwaras also serve langar on the streets to ensure it reaches those that may need it most. Guru Nanak’s Free Kitchen, a Sikh-based organization serves hot vegetarian meals every Sunday in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside. The meals are usually comprised of rice, roti wraps, daal (lentil) or cholay (chickpeas), kheer (Indian rice pudding), and cha (Indian tea). It’s run by volunteers so it’s seen as a privilege to help run it – whether it’s cooking, cleaning, or serving the food.

A glimpse of long lines waiting for langar at Downtown East Side Vancouver

Image courtesy: Google Images

Depending on the Gurdwara, the meal times and availability of langar changes. Some dishes, such as daal, roti and sabzi are cooked daily for lunch and dinner, while others, such as curries, and sweets that are fried in ghee would be reserved for festivals or special occasions. If you go around 3- 5 PM you might get fritters and ladoos with tea. So, there is always something available, even late at night. The food though is simple and not a feast but it gives you the satisfaction that no five-star restaurant food can ever give you. The taste comes from the way it is prepared with love and simran (remembering God by reciting prayers) of the volunteers cooking. The food is first fed to god and later served to people, a common practice not only in Sikh but also in Hindu temples.

My friend sent me this picture. Her son volunteers in Guru Nanak Free Kitchen every Saturday.

There is usually a waiting list of people who want to provide the langar each week. This is because they want to serve God, and by helping others they feel they are doing seva (selfless service). So, you see langar is not just a free meal it is the foundation of the Sikh faith. The seva is not limited to the gurudwaras. Sikhs donate generously to food banks and at other places. When Covid 19 happened Gurudwaras collected blankets, jackets, socks, mattresses, and groceries to give it to international students and others who were stuck at home.

Now, since we all have been social distancing, the Vaisakhi parade has been put on hold for the second year in a row, Gurudwaras are still closed for sangat (sikh congregation) and langar, and there are no in person gatherings at home, I thought to share the recipe of langar waali daal so that you could try it in your kitchen. This rustic and simple daal is outrageously delicious and doesn’t even require the popular ingredients, like cumin seeds, garam masala, tomatoes, and the extra tadka and is a great example of how you can create something amazing out of simple ingredients.

The nice thing about this daal aside from the fact that it’s delicious, is that it is super easy and can be a great recipe for beginners.  What gives this daal the depth and flavor is the slow cooking process with desi ghee in it.  If you don’t have ghee you can substitute butter. Just to let you know you can make ghee yourself without much trouble and I have a recipe posted here.

When you are ready to cook, the soaked lentils go in the instant pot along with onion, ginger, garlic, desi ghee and the basic seasoning. You can adapt this daal to your own taste by adding extra ingredients but then it won’t be langar style daal any more. The daal gets cooked in the instant pot to tender perfection in under 3 hours (including wait time).  And while it is cooking you can do other things in the kitchen.  If you don’t have an Instant Pot, no problem! You’ll have to remember to soak the lentils overnight to shorten the cooking time on stove and use more water to ensure it doesn’t dry out. I know people say lentils don’t need to be soaked but not all lentils are equal. The whole urad does need to be soaked beforehand if you’re going the stovetop and instant pot route.  This daal tastes much better when refrigerated and heated again the next day.

If you are wondering whether you can cook this daal in a slow cooker, sure, you can (I have the slow cooker directions below as well). In winters I always cook up a double batch in the slow cooker and then freeze half of it in portions. It holds up really well in the freezer and saves so much time for busy days. You will need to add water when you reheat to get back the original consistency and may also have to adjust the seasoning.

This daal is usually served thicker, like in the photos so you can scoop up with roti. Besides that, I serve a simple onion salad and yogurt on side for a seriously body and soul satisfying meal. But if you are not a roti fan you can always serve with rice and can also make it thinner to enjoy a bowl of this daal just like a soup.

So, go ahead and give this langar waali daal a try, if you do try make sure to leave a comment. You are welcome to take a picture and share it with me using the hashtag #simpleglutenfreekitchen. I am on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, and also You Tube. Let’s stay in touch.