← Nouns Cooking · Indian

Ingredients

• 60 g Chana dal (split Bengal gram)
• 30 g Urad dal (split, skinned)
• 30 g Yellow moong dal (split mung beans)
• 30 g pearl barley or broken wheat (dalia)
• 2 tbsp Basmati rice
• 750 ml water, for the grains
• 600 g boneless beef chuck or shin (or lamb), cut into 3 cm cubes
• 3 tbsp Vegetable oil
• 2 tbsp Ghee
• 1 Onion, finely chopped
• 3 cm piece Ginger, finely grated
• 5 cloves Garlic, crushed
• 1 tsp Ground turmeric
• 2 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
• 1 tsp Chilli flakes
• 2 tsp Ground coriander
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 2 tbsp plain yogurt
• 2 tsp salt, or to taste
• 750 ml hot water, for the meat
• 2 tsp Garam masala
• 2 tbsp Rolled oats (optional)
• 4 tbsp crispy fried onions
• 4 cm piece Ginger, cut into thin matchsticks
• 2 Green chilli, finely chopped
• 1 handful Mint, leaves chopped
• 1 handful Coriander (cilantro), chopped
• 2 Lemon, cut into wedges
• 1 tsp Chaat masala (optional)

Method

1. Rinse the dals, barley and rice together and soak them in plenty of water for at least 4 hours.
2. Heat the oil and ghee in a large heavy pot over medium heat and cook the onion for 8–10 min until golden. Add the ginger and garlic for 1 minute, then the beef, and brown it for 8 min.
3. Stir in the turmeric, chilli powder, chilli flakes, coriander, cumin, yogurt and salt and cook for 5 min. Add the hot water, cover and simmer for 2 hours, until the meat shreds easily.
4. Meanwhile, drain the grains and simmer them in their 750 ml of water for 45–50 min, until completely soft. Blend or mash to a thick paste.
5. Lift the meat out, shred it with two forks (or pulse briefly in a food processor) and return it to its pot with the grain paste.
6. Cook over low heat for 30 min, beating hard with a wooden spoon every few minutes and adding hot water as needed, until the haleem is thick, stretchy and glossy. Stir in the garam masala and the oats, if using.
7. Ladle into bowls and top with fried onions, ginger, chillies, mint, coriander, a squeeze of lemon and a pinch of chaat masala.

Tips

• Haleem is traditionally made in huge pots during Ramadan and Muharram, and it freezes very well in portions.
• Contains barley (gluten). For a gluten-free version, swap the barley for extra rice and use certified gluten-free oats or none.

Sources

Written in our own words after cross-checking these recipes:

BBC Good Food Tea for Turmeric Archana's Kitchen