Langar Wali Dal (Maa ki Dal)

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Published: Jun 10, 2022 · Modified: Jun 10, 2022 by Richa · This post may contain affiliate links.

This Langar wali Dal is a bowl of comfort – packed with proteins and an amazing flavour! This is the recipe of the dal prepared at Langars in Gurudwaras – a very unique recipe that uses urad dal, chana dal and rajma – making it super healthy!

I just love dal! It is easily in my top 5 favourite foods list. The day I ate Langar wali Dal, it was love at first taste. It’s incomparable to any other dal I’ve tasted and what makes it so special is that it is patiently prepped and prepared by volunteers at Gurudawars who donate their time to serve the needy.

I can eat a bowl of dal any time on any day and it always leaves me feeling super content. It’s one of those dishes that makes me nostalgic too, I grew up eating a lot of dal made from different pulses and in different ways. Each has their own unique flavour and one of my favourite varieties is the Langar wali Dal.

What is Langar wali Dal?

Langar refers to the community kitchen of a Gurudwara, the place of worship for Sikhs. Langars are prepared and served by volunteers of the community and the food is simply delicious! This dal is one such dish, giving it the name Langar wali Dal – meaning, Langar style dal.

It is a super simple dish, elevated with a tempering made of spices and masalas that takes the flavour up a notch!
It comes together quickly as well and only needs the dal to be soaked overnight. Pssst. If you forget to do this, you can always soak the dals in hot water in a tightly shut casserole using my fast soaking method
Pressure cooking is the perfect way to cook this dal – fast! I love my Stahl Versatil Pressure Cooker that I’ve used in this recipe. Its tri-ply stainless steel, high quality and beautiful finish make this perfect when you want something that can go straight from the stove to the table
It pairs excellently with a bowl of hot rice and ghee or tandoori rotis and kulchas!
Add on dollops of fresh desi ghee or butter for extra flavour and richness.

Tempering/ Tadka For Langar wali Dal

The tempering or tadka is the most important part for infusing flavour into this dal! Lots of garlic and onions, fried in ghee along with chillies, tomatoes, cumin seeds and more take this dal from boring to amazing!

A lot of the flavour comes from the tadka (tempering) so be sure to cook it right. Make sure the onions are fried til golden brown and the tomatoes are cooked until fully softened. That’s how you pack in the flavours!

Pro Tip: Use fresh ginger, grated or crushed when pressure cooking the dal – it makes all the difference!

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This post is sponsored by our friends at Stahl Kitchens who manufacture amazing Pressure Cookers and Triple Ply Stainless Steel utensils.

Dal Makhani served in a brown ceramic bowl with cream drizzled on top and naan and sliced onions on the side

Langar wali Dal

Langar wali Dal is the dal served at Gurdwaras across the world. It’s creamy, smokey and has a beautiful finish from the tempering. This dal has a special place because it’s prepared by volunteers.

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Course: Main Course, Side Dishes

Cuisine: Indian

Diet: Gluten Free

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 50 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes

Servings: 6 people

Calories: 293kcal

Instructions

Pressure Cook

Add soaked urad dal, chana dal, rajma, crushed ginger, onion, green chillies, salt, bay leaf and 5 cups of water to a pressure cooker. Turn on the heat, cover the lid and ensure the whistle is secured.
Cook on medium flame until the first whistle and then turn the heat to low. Cook for 20-25 minutes in total.
Once done, turn off the heat and allow the pressure to release naturally. Remove the whistle, open the lid and lightly mash the dal. Keep aside.

Dal Tempering

Add oil and ghee to a kadai and allow it to heat up on a medium flame. Add cumin seeds and allow it to splutter. Add bay leaf, garlic and ginger and saute until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes.
Add onion and fry until they turn golden brown, about 5-6 minutes.
Add coriander powder, turmeric powder, red chilli powder and green chillies and cook for 2-3 minutes or until the raw smell goes away.
Add tomatoes, green chillies, coriander leaves and cook for 7-8 minutes or until tomatoes have softened. Add ¼ cup water when it starts sticking to the bottom and mix.
Add this mix to the dal and stir to combine. Add garam masala, mix, and bring this to a boil over medium heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 2-3 minutes, add coriander leaves and mix. Serve hot!