Haleem is a popular and nourishing dish of South East Asia, Central Asia, and Middle East. It is specially made during the holy month of Muharram as a "Niaz." the "niaz" of haleem is then distributed among poor, relatives, and neighbours.
Cooking Haleem whole night in large deghs has been a traditional activity of Ashura for years. People participate in the making of the haleem during the night of Ashura. Residents of many areas collect contribution money for preparing haleem degh on roadsides. A large number of people order professional cooks, to make haleem deghs for the distribution purpose. Different restaurants and outlets also prepare different kinds of special haleem for the followers this season.
Haleem is a type of thick stew consists of a balanced combination of meat (usually beef or mutton), lentils, barley, spices, and wheat. It is cooked in large vessels for long hours and served with ghee, browned onions, limejuice, and garnish with coriander leaves. A true haleem should be fibrous with a sticky texture.
Haleem is different from Khichra. In khichra, the portions of meat remain as cubes, while in Haleem the meat is crushed bones are removed and further cooked until the meat completely blends with the lentils, wheat and barley mixture.
One cup of haleem contains approximately 353 calories (61%fats, 34% protiens, and 10%carbs).
Different taste of Haleem around the world:
Haleem is a thousand year-old dish that has surpassed several traditions and cultures. Haleem is made by different ways across the Middle East and South East Asia and in countries including the UAE, Iran, Turkey, Pakistan and India.
Arabian version of Haleem known as hareesa is cooked with mutton, beef or camel meat, ghee, wheat, rice and whole green pulses, spiced with garlic paste, black pepper and salt. Hareesa is topped with ghee or olive oil, black pepper and fried onions. The first written recipe of hareesa dates back to the 10th century, when Abu Muhammad al-Muzaffar ibn Sayyar compiled a cookbook of dishes popular with the kings and caliphs and lords and leaders of Baghdad. "The version described in his Kitab Al-Tabikh (Book of Recipes).
Persian haleem is cooked with turkey, wheat and oats, spiced with onion, salt and cinnamon. Persian Haleem is topped with melted butter, sesame and sugar.
Bengali haleem is made by marinating the meat (lamb or chicken) overnight with ginger-garlic paste, red chili, salt, turmeric and all spices. It is then cooked with wheat and is then meshed. Bengali Haleem is topped with chopped mint, fried onions, lemon wedges and roasted cashew nuts or almonds.
Hyderabadi haleem is the popular haleem of Pakistan and India. Hyderabadi haleem is cooked with "mutton or beef, wheat, lentils, salt, ginger-garlic paste, all spice, red chilli, turmeric, and ghee. Cooked together and then meshed. Hyderabadi haleem is finished with sizzling golden onions in ghee (bhegar/tarka) and topped off with sliced ginger, chopped coriander and mint, green chilies and fried onions."
Preparation of Haleem at home:
Ingredients:
Beef boneless: 1.5 kgs (its best if half kg of this is shin meat)
Beef bone-in: 2 kgs
Mix of grains
Masala (spices)
ginger and garlic paste: 8tbs
Oil: 1/3 cup
For the grain mix:
Dalia: 1.5 cups
Gandum: 1/2 cup
Chana daal: 1 cup
Maash daal: 1 cup
Moog dal: 1/4 cup
Masoor dal: 1/4 cup
Brown rice: 1/4 cup
Spices:
Bayleaves: 7 leaves
Cinnamon: 7 sticks
Big cardamom: 5 nos
Red chilli powder: 3tbs
Cumin powder: 2tbs
Garam masala powder: 1tbs
Coriander powder: 2tbs
Turmeric powder: 1tbs
Salt to taste
In a large pot, put the beef, half the ginger-garlic paste, whole spices, and salt. Add enough water to cover everything and bring it to a boil. Lower the flame and let it cook for 2 hours, or until the beef tenderizes.
Once the meat is tender, let the mixture cool a bit, then take out the meat, and mesh it, discarding all the bones. Separate the cooking water (yakhni). Soak all the ingredients of the lentil mix together, except for the dalia and gandum for 3 hours. After that boil each one separately.
Blend the boiled lentils in a blender, but not the dalia or gandum. In a large pot, heat the oil and fry the remaining ginger-garlic paste taking care not to burn it. Add all the powdered spices and fry for a minute or two before adding the shredded beef. Fry for 4-5 minutes. After 4-5 minutes, add the blended lentils and the boiled dalia, and fry for a few more minutes. In the end, add the yakhni and let this whole mixture cook on low flame for 30-40 minutes or so, blending/mixing/ stirring every few minutes. For the garnish, finely slice and fry some onions, julienne some ginger, chop up some green chillis and put a few lemon slices and some chaat masala.
Comments
Comments are closed.