Inside the Dublin Sikh temple serving thousands of free meals: ‘Everyone does everything together in our kitchen’

At the height of the pandemic, Dublin’s Sikh community was giving away 1,600 meals a week as part of their faith’s ancient tradition of ‘langar’. Alex Meehan rolls up his sleeves for a behind-the-scenes look at one of Ireland’s most unusual kitchens

Alex Meehan making chapatis alongside the women in Dublin's Sikh temple kitchen, including Harjinder Kaur, Manpreet Kaur, Dilnaaz Kaur and Jasleen Kaur. Photo: Kyle Tunney

Alex Meehan

When the kind man in the blue turban warns you that the food you’re about to eat is spicy, only a fool doesn’t listen. But thankfully on this occasion, it turns out that Charandeep Singh Arora is being over cautious and the food served at Ireland’s only Sikh gurdwara is truly delicious.

Not only does it not blow our heads off, it’s actually perfectly spiced and amongst the most delicious Indian food I’ve ever tasted. But more on that later.