Haleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeem & Haleem & Haleem

Haleem is a popular delicacy in Hyderabad, most parts of India and in middle east. It is prepared in multiple ways using meat, wheat, lentil, spices and lot of green vegetables. Surprisingly it is not an Indian dish but borrowed from Persia but now it is part of most kitchen in India.

It is a one pot dish, traditionally cooked for hours and hours and rich with fibers, Proteins and carbohydrates. It is one of the famous Hyderabad delicacy and especially eaten during Ramadan. There are many version of Haleem and in some part of the country it is also called Khichda.

Ingredients:

• 750 gm Goat Meat (try to use boneless pieces as much as possible, don’t through away bones, lets get the juices out of it)
• 250 gm Olive Oil, 250 gm Ghee
• 150 gm Wheat, 50 gm barley
• 100 gm Chana dal, 50 gm moong dal, 50 gm masoor dal, 50 gm tuwar dal, 100 gm Basmati rice
• 3 Onions nicely chopped
• 4 teaspoons ginger garlic paste
• Whole Spices: 10 cloves, 3 cardamom, 2 cinnamon sticks, 1 teaspoon black pepper, 1 teaspoon coriander, ½ teaspoon cumin, 1 Black cardamom. Dry roast the whole spices and make them into fine powder. Or take 3 teaspoon of ready made garam masala.
• Other spices: 1 teaspoon turmeric powder, 1 teaspoon red chili powder and salt as per taste
• 500 gm curd
• Green vegetables: ½ bunch mint, 1 bunch of cilantro, 4 green chilies, ½ Lemon
• Garnish: Lemon, dry ghee roasted cashews

Preparation before cooking:

• Soak wheat, barley and lentils for 3-4 hours
• Fry onions till they are brown and spread them outside on a tissue paper. They should be dry and crispy.
• Lightly roast the whole spices and blend them fine
• Clean & wash the meat and keep it aside just before cooking
• Whisk curd and keep it aside

Cooking Instruction (2 – 3 hours):

a) Mutton Preparation:

• • Heat oil & ghee in a vessel
  • Add meat to it and let it fry at high heat for 5 minutes till the meat changes color
  • Add ginger garlic paste and let it fry for another 5 minutes at medium heat
  • Add half of the friend onions to the mutton
  • Add 4 teaspoon of powdered spices, turmeric, salt and green chilies. Simmer for another 5 minutes
  • Lower the heat, add whisked curd to the mutton, let it simmer for another 2-3 minutes but keep mixing the curd well with the mutton
  • Increase the flame to medium heat, let it fry for another 5 minutes and then add 4 cups of water
  • Let the mutton cook slowly for 1 – 2 hours

b) Wheat and Lentils Preparation:

• • Boil the lentils, wheat and barley in 4 cups of water, Add more water as needed
  • Once you get a good boil for 5-10 minutes, bring down the flame to medium heat and let it cook for another 1-2 hours till they become soft
  • Pounder the mixture carefully while the mixture is getting cooked

c) Once you see the oil nicely getting separated from mutton, remove the bones. Make sure there are no smaller bones left in the vessel.

d) Add the wheat/lentils mixture to the mutton vessel.

e) Bring down the heat to medium flame and let the Haleem cook slowly. We are looking for a fine paste, so keep adding water in small proportions if you see the gravy becoming thick and dry. Try to add hot or warm water, instead of cold.

f) Keep regularly pounding the Haleem regularly till you get a thick consistency and fine paste of the ingredients

g) Add mint and coriander and continue pounding the mixture

h) Let it simmer for another 15 minutes

Garnish:

• Add hot ghee
• Add coriander, mint, and serve with lemon on the side.

Haleem is generally eaten by itself or you can try it with some hot and fresh Naan.

It seems to be a lengthy process, but it is not that tough as it looks. Try it once and I am sure you will repeat it again and again.

If you have a different version of Haleem, please do share your recipe. Also try the above version, and let me know how it tastes.