Haleem
Another desi dish of Pakistan which is full of taste and is unique in its own way is Haleem. It is a mixture of different lentils and barley cooked with meat all night long. Cooking it overnight makes a delicious paste like consistency that is garnished with lemon, fried onions, ginger. Haleem is made in a large quantity in the month of Muharram as it is made with the intention of sharing this food with every person who passes by. Haleem is available in the streets of Karachi, Hyderabad, Lahore and Rawalpindi. Garma garam naan/ Khameeri roti enhances its taste.
Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 lb boneless beef or mutton, cut into small pieces
- 1 cup whole wheat grains (wheat berries)
- 1 cup split chickpeas (chana dal)
- 1 cup yellow lentils (moong dal)
- 1/2 cup split green lentils (masoor dal)
- 1/2 cup split black lentils (urad dal)
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil or ghee
- 2 large onions, thinly sliced
- 2 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
- 2 tbsp coriander powder
- 1 tbsp cumin powder
- 1 tbsp garam masala
- 1 tsp turmeric powder
- 1 tsp red chili powder (adjust to taste)
- Salt, to taste
- 2-3 cups water or beef/mutton stock
- Fried onions, chopped cilantro, and lemon wedges, for garnish
Directions
- Rinse the wheat grains and soak them in water for 4-5 hours, or overnight. Rinse and drain the lentils, and soak them in water for 30 minutes.
- In a large pot or pressure cooker, add the meat, soaked wheat grains, and soaked lentils. Add enough water or stock to cover the ingredients by at least 2 inches. Cook on low heat for 2-3 hours, or until the meat and grains are very tender and can be easily mashed with a spoon.
- Using a hand blender or a potato masher, mash the meat and grains until they form a smooth and creamy texture. If the mixture is too thick, add some water or stock to thin it out.
- In a separate pan, heat the vegetable oil or ghee and add the sliced onions. Cook on low heat until the onions turn golden brown and crispy.
- Add ginger-garlic paste, coriander powder, cumin powder, garam masala, turmeric powder, red chili powder, and salt to the onions. Cook for 2-3 minutes, or until the spices are fragrant.
- Add the onion and spice mixture to the meat and lentil mixture and mix well.
- Cook the haleem on low heat for another 1-2 hours, stirring occasionally to prevent it from sticking to the bottom of the pot. If the haleem is too thick, add some water or stock to thin it out.
- Once the haleem is cooked, serve hot garnished with fried onions, chopped cilantro, and lemon wedges. Enjoy your delicious Haleem!
Where to Eat or Drink
We are Open for everyone! if you are serving this food in your restaurant or cafe, and you are interested to advertise your restaurant or cafe, do contact us at info@pakistanatlas.com
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