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Sikh Cuisine is more than a meal served at the table.  It is a concept that entails not just creative and healthful eating but also active and preventative living habits.  The idea was inspired by a careful introspection of the food served for langar (meal served by the community kitchen).  Check with your physician to see which exercise and dietary life style are appropriate for you.   Consider some of our favorite recipes or submit your favorite recipe here info@sikhwomen.com. 

Community Kitchen

All Gurudwaras (house of worship) have a langar (meal prepared in a community kitchen, shared and enjoyed together as all in presence being equals, free for all) where sewadaars (volunteers) help prepare free meals for the respective congregation.  Langar is always prepared fresh and clean.  It entails a simple, vegetarian meal.  Gurudwaras are open to everyone and no one is excluded.  This presents an opportunity to impress the basic tenants of Sikhism.  Foremost, equality of all beings is apparent when one sits down amongst other people of the community for a community meal.  Everyone sits on the floor symbolizing social equality.  Kings, queens, physicians, paupers, merchants alike sit together, on the same floor and enjoy a meal prepared by the community members for their community.  Second, the oneness of all humanity.  No one is excluded and everyone is welcomed to a Gurudwara. 

Sikh Foods: common names

Some of the most common names in Sikh meals are:
  1. ROTI or PHULKA (flat bread): The Roti is made from whole meal or brown wheat flour.  It is flat and round, approximately six to eight inches in diameter and looks like a tortilla. The Phulka is a finer version of Roti and is named as such because it bubbles up or puffs up like a saucer-shaped baloon. Chapatti is another name for Roti or Phulka and is not very popular in Punjabi homes, especially among the Sikhs. Puri (poori) is yet another type of Roti, which is smaller in size and is deep fried like potato chips. Naan is made from white flour and is baked in a brick oven so it turns out thicker like a pancake.   Roti can be oiled to keep it soft and pliable or made fat free. 
  2. PARAUTHA: A heavier and more nourishing form of roti is called parautha. It is made by folding and rolling of the dough a number of times with or without fillings and is superficially fried in ghee, margarine or vegetable oil.   Most commons stuffings are potatoes, onions, peas and some daals. 
  3. SABZI and DAAL: Whether vegetarian or non-vegetarian, no meal in a Sikh family is complete without either a SABZI (cooked vegetable) or DAAL (cooked pulse) or indeed both.

    This is one area where Indian cooking is difficult to match, not only in the variety of Daals and Sabzees but also in their cooking methods. Pulses are like peas and beans of different colors and size and are amongst the most popular dishes because they are cheap, easy to make, tasty and nutritious.

    Some of the most common names in this group are-

  4. DAHI, YOGHURT or CURD: is an important complimentary item to the Punjabi meal and is usually enriched with other ingredients before serving.
  5. PANEER: (specially prepared cheese cubes) is very versatile.   It's consistency is that of soy cubes, yet when cooked it absorbs the flavor of the main dish it is added to.   It can be baked, fried, used as a stuffing or even used in dessert. 
  6. SNACKS and SWEETS: Although the serving of a dessert after a full meal is not regarded as important, a sweet dish like Kheer (rice pudding but much yummier) is often served as part of the meal.   Many Punjabi sweets are made of milk, sugar, gram flour and ghee. Some of the popular ones are- RASGULLA, GULAB JAMuN, BURFI, LADDOO, JALLEBI, HALWA, GAJERELLA, DOODH BARE, etc.  Among the snacks the most common ones are-PAKORAS which are quick and simple to make and there are scores of varieties in Pakoras from vegetarian to non-vegetarian. Similarly, SAMOSAS (triangular shaped pastry which envelopes a variety of fillings) are very popular.

 

This website does not provide medical or legal advice. This service is designed for educational purposes only. You should not rely on this information as a substitute for personal medical attention, diagnosis or hands-on treatment. If you are concerned about your health or that of a child's, please consult your family's health care provider immediately. 
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