by Claudia Kwan
FoodConnect Vancouver
claudia@foodconnect.com

So we have tea, a lovely wedding ceremony, and then it’s time for lunch. Being that foodcentric seems eminently sensible to me. Off we troop back to the cafeteria-like room for langar, a communal vegetarian meal that’s meant to emphasize equality among all. Different people take on the tasks of preparing and dishing up the meal on a weekly basis at most temples, which is intended to reinforce the value of service to community. There are those are dispute the value of religion in the modern world, but there is power in ritual. Anything that reinforces positive traits would seem to have value to most reasoning people.

Philosophizing aside, how’s the food? In two words: somewhat unfamiliar. I’ve had some of this cuisine before in other contexts, but somehow being at the head of the line with a utilitarian tray in my hands and the servers looking inquisitively at me makes me freeze up a little. I can’t remember which item is which, if I’ve tried it before, or if I like it. Thankfully everyone around jumps in with helpful explanations.

I’ve been out of high school for decades, but the cafeteria setting has me remembering that daily dilemma of where to sit and eat my lunch. There’s quite a gang of our friends here, so off I sidle to where the conversation’s thickest.

The food is bursting with cumin and cardamom and all sorts of spices, mingled in with plebeian vegetables like cauliflower and zucchini. Then there’s cheese and spinach and lentils mixed in with curry or buttermilk, all sopped up with chapati (unleavened wheat flatbread.)

More chai and some rice pudding and that’s all I can manage before the reception in the evening. I love weddings—they provide an intimate window into another life, revealing hidden depths and some of the everyday joys that you might otherwise miss.