Haleem

Haleem, eaten with naan bread or on its own, is a meat & lentil dish, cooked on low heat for 2 hours. When prepared in bulk, haleem is cooked overnight perfectly infusing the lentils and meat together for a deliciously soothing dish. Parin introduced me to her easy to make, flavor infested version, at her place in Muscat many years ago, when she was hosting one of her lavish dinners. I usually cook haleem during the winter months, or when I'm entertaining or when it's a haleem kind of mood. I have modified Parin's recipe, by adding small of portions of barley & whole wheat. My choice of meat is mutton, but chicken or beef can also be used. 

Serves: 6-8

Ingredients:

Meat (beef, chicken, mutton): 1kg
Whole wheat: 1cup
Mixed lentils (pink lentil, gram lentil, skinless green gram): 0.5cup
Barley: 0.25cup
Onions: 2 medium; sliced
Garlic Paste: 2tsp
Ginger Paste: 2tsp
Turmeric: 1tsp
Peppercorn: 4-5
Cloves: 2-3
Black Cardamom: 2
Cinnamon Stick: 2"
Tomato: 1 large
Coriander Powder: 2Tbsp
Cayenne Pepper: 0.5tsp
Salt: to taste
Cilantro Leaves: 3-4Tbsp
Green Chilies: 6
Oil: 4Tbsp

Accompaniments:
Fried Onions: 4Tbsp
Cilantro Leaves: 3-4Tbsp
Green Chillies: 5-6; sliced
Lemon: 6; quartered

Directions:



1. Clean & soak wheat & barley overnight or 4 hours.

2. Clean & soak lentils for 2 hours.

3. Boil on medium-low heat the cleaned meat with garlic, ginger & 3 cups of water till meat is tender. Save some broth.

4. In a separate pan, boil on medium-low heat lentils with 2 cups of water, 0.5tsp turmeric & 0.25tsp ginger paste till tender.  

5. In another pan, boil on medium-low heat wheat & barley with 1Tbsp oil & 3 cups of water till tender.

6. Heat oil in a deep pan, add in peppercorns, cloves, black cardamom, cinnamon, sliced onion & fry till golden brown.

7. Blend tomato, cilantro leaves & half of the green chilies to a fine paste. To this blended mixture, add coriander powder, remaining turmeric, cayenne pepper & salt. Add this to the fried onions.

8. Keep frying onion & tomato mixture; sprinkle water to stop mixture from burning.

9. Add in the boiled meat to the onion & tomato mix and fry. If required, sprinkle water to stop from burning (also, reduce flame).

10. Mash the cooked lentils and add to meat.

11. Blend cooked wheat & barley to a fine paste and add to meat mixture.

12. Add in the saved meat broth & add in 2 cups of water. Allow to cook for a minimum of 2 hours.