Haleem recipe

Haleem

When i think about haleem it takes me straight back to Lahore streets, that is where i had my first taste on haleem and since i had it almost everywhere i have been to but nothing beats Lahori's haleem. When i first heard the name haleem my exact words were what kind of food is that just the name fills your stomach but believe me when i had it i still remember the taste of every bite i took and i can not explain how good it was. I would say the person who came up with this recipe must have had some praises from the king.

There are differences between the historians about the origins of haleem, some say it was Persians who originated it some say it was Arabs and there are few people who believe that the credit of this recipe goes to Mughal king Akbar's chef. Haleem is made of wheat, barley, meat,lentils and spices, sometimes rice is also used. It is an slow cooked dish but very famous throughout the world on special occasions. A traditional Haleem is made by firstly soaking wheat, barley and gram lentil overnight. A spicy meat gravy called Korma is prepared until the meat becomes tender. The wheat, barley and gram are boiled in salt water until they are tender. The cooked wheat, barley and lentils are then mixed with the meat gravy and blended with a heavy hand mixer to obtain a paste-like consistency. The cooking procedure takes about 6 hours.

'Harisa, a mixture of meat, spices and grains, is a dish worth stampeding for. People have been savoring this slow-cooked sludge for hundreds, possibly thousands of years. Today, harisa — or its Persian and South Asian equivalent, haleem — can be found from the Mediterranean, [Pakistan and India] to Kashmir, a sizable swath of the Islamic world Ibn Battuta explored,’ says Annia Ciezadlo in her article, History on a Plate published in the Time Magazine.

Ingredients:

1: Chicken 350g (skinless)

2: wheat 200g (crushed and soaked in water for 1 ½ hour)

3: Gram Lentils 1 cup (soaked and boiled)

4: Onions 3 medium (thinly sliced)

5: Ginger & Garlic paste 2tbps

6: Garam masala powder 1tsp

7: Red chili powder 1tbsp

8: Coriander powder 1tbsp

9: Turmeric powder 1tsp

10: Salt as per taste

11: Soda a pinch

12: Clarified Butter 2 cup

13: Fresh Mint Leaves 1 bunch (finely chopped)

14: Fresh coriander leaves 1 bunch (finely chopped)

15: Green chilies 6 (finely chopped)

16: Cumin seed 1tsp (roasted and ground)

17: Garam masala powder 1tsp

18: Ginger-root 1 medium

19: Onion 1 large (thinly sliced)

20: Lemons 3 (cut in quarters)

Method:

Heat butter in a pan, add meat, garlic, garam masala, red chilli powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder, and salt. Cook on medium flame.
In a separate pan boil wheat grains with lots of water, add salt. When the grains become tender and mushy add a pinch of soda and cook further for 15 to 20 minutes.

Now mix the wheat grains with the meat and mix well. Stir continuously so that both are mixed properly. Now grind the lentils in a food processor. Make it into a thick paste by adding 2 cups of water while processing it.

Pour the lentil paste into the meat and wheat mixture and stir to mix well. Place the pan on a heavy tava or griddle on low heat and cook for 30 to 40 minutes.

Fry the sliced onion in clarified butter and drain on absorbent paper towel. When the haleem is cooked, sprinkle fried onions, garam masala powder, fresh mint, and coriander leaves. Garnish with cumin and ginger.

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