HALEEM RECIPE

HALEEM

This is a very delicious and nourishing meal, can be served at any time.  It is a concoction of spices, meat and either bulgar wheat or a combination of various pulses. The recipe, though time consuming, is quite easy to follow and you don't have to worry about over cooking anything as it requires to be mushy anyway!  The spices, meat and/or pulses are placed together in a pot and simmered for hours and later stirred vigorously until it is completely mushy. This is a Pakistani traditional recipe. There are other recipes of haleem too and they are almost similar to this one with only a few ingredients that might vary. So here goes....

INGREDIENTS

1 Kilo Lean Beef or Lamb, Diced. You may also opt for meat on bone.

250 grams Broken Wheat or Bulgar Wheat, washed and soaked overnight Alternatively you can take half a cup each of channa daal, urad daal, moong dal , barley and broken wheat - washed and soaked overnight 

25 grams Butter or Ghee (Clarified Butter)

2 Tablespoons Garlic Paste

2 Tablespoons Ginger Paste
10 to 12 cups of water  (more or less)
Saffron colour (optional) 
Salt to taste

2 Bay Leaves  

1 Tablespoon ground Coriander Seeds 

1 Tablespoon ground Cumin Seeds
1 Tablespoon Chaat Masala (tangy spice blend) 
1 Tablespoon Red Chilli Powder 
1 Teaspoon Turmeric Powder
1 Tablespoon Garam Masala

Salt to taste 
2 Onions, peeled, finely sliced and fried in ½ cup of vegetable oil 

SEASONING AND GARNISH 

 
Fresh Cilantro roughly chopped 
Green Chillies finely chopped 
Ginger Julienne 
Slices of Lime or Lemon

Fried Onions

A Few Tablespoons of Ghee or Butter

DIRECTIONS

1)  Drain the wheat or pulses and place in a heavy based pot along with the meat, ginger, garlic and water. Place on high heat until it comes to the boil.  Lower the heat, cover the pan let cook for about 2 hours.  Keep stirring at intervals.

2)  If using meat with bone on, remove the meat pieces from the pot and separate bone from meat. Return the meat to the pot. Keep stirring until the meat starts to break down and shred. Cook for another 30 minutes.

3)  Add ghee or butter, saffron colour if using, salt, cumin and coriander powders, chilli powder, turmeric powder, bay leaves and chaat masala. Cook for another hour.

4)  Add the fried onions but set aside a little for garnishing. Add the garam masala and cook for a further 15 minutes. Check seasoning. Stir with a heavy spatula to make it as mushy as you can. The pulses and/or wheat should be well blended with the meat which will be in shreds by then. 

5)  Transfer haleem into serving dish. Garnish with slices of lime/lemon, chopped green chillies, ginger julienne, chopped cilantro, and heated ghee or butter. Serve some more lime or lemon quarters or halves for squeezing on to the haleem. This is for individual servings. Serve piping hot.