Here is the Pakistani/Indian version of h’risseh. There are slight variations between the Pakistani and Indian haleems—not to mention regional variations in each country, with Hyderabadi haleem being one of the most
famous—but the differences are not that great, so I have simplified and am giving one general recipe here as an example of a South Asian haleem (see Note). It is a lot spicier and more complex than the Levantine h’risseh, the
Arabian h’riss, or the Iranian haleem. Haleem is sold on the street all year long and it is also prepared for both the
month of Ramadan and the month of Muharram. You can see it being made on the street in India, in huge cauldrons placed over wood fires, and it is a spectacle to behold. The cauldrons are massive and the amounts of meat and grain used are astonishing, as is the labor required to prepare the dish in such huge quantities. Fortunately, the quantities in this recipe are just enough to feed a family, and apart from the stirring at the end to mash the ingredients into one another, the process is very simple. Most people use a hand blender now to mash the ingredients, but I prefer the texture achieved by stirring the mixture by hand.
SERVES: 6 To 8
INGREDIENTS:
- ¼ cup (60 ml) vegetable oil
- 2 medium onions (10½ ounces/300 g total), halved and cut into thin wedges
- 1 pound 10 ounces (750 g) boneless lamb leg or stewing beef or veal, cut into medium chunks
- 2 inches (5 cm) fresh ginger, peeled and minced to a fine paste
- 6 cloves garlic, minced to a fine paste
- 2 bay leaves
- ½ cup (15 g) dried rose petals
- 1 tablespoon allspice berries
- 1 tablespoon ground allspice
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon Kashmiri chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 2 cups (400 g) wheat berries, soaked overnight in cold water
- 1 cup (200 g) hulled barley, soaked overnight in cold water
- 1 cup (200 g) chana dal (split yellow peas), soaked for 1 hour in cold water
- 1 cup (200 g) red lentils
- 4 tablespoons (60 g) ghee or unsalted butter
- Sea salt
FOR THE GARNISH:
- Vegetable oil, for frying
- 2 large onions (14 ounces/400 g total), halved and cut into thin wedges
- Ghee (optional), melted
- 2 lemons, quartered
- Handful of cilantro leaves
- 2 green chilies, seeded and thinly sliced
- Naan (optional), for serving
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Heat the ¼ cup (60 ml) oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and fry, stirring regularly, until golden, about 5 minutes. Add the meat and sauté until it has browned, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the ginger and garlic and stir for a minute or so. Add the bay leaves, dried rose petals, and spices and stir for a couple of minutes.
- Drain the grains and dal and add them to the meat and onions together with the red lentils. Add 2 quarts (2 liters) water and bring to a boil. Add the ghee, cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 1 hour, stirring regularly. Add 1 cup (250 ml) water and continue simmering for another hour, stirring very regularly, until the meat is very tender and the grains and legumes have dissolved into a thick porridge-like mixture. Add salt to taste.
- Pour 1 inch (2.5 cm) vegetable oil into a large skillet and heat over medium heat until hot (if you drop a piece of bread in the oil, the oil should immediately bubble around it). Add the sliced onion and fry, stirring regularly, until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Be careful not to burn the onions. Transfer to a sieve and shake to drain off the excess oil and keep the onion wedges crisp.
- Once the haleem is cooked, it needs to be mashed, either by hand or with a hand blender.
OTHER METHODS:
- Hand method: With a wooden spoon, beat the meat, grains, and legumes in the pot until the meat disintegrates completely into the mashed-up porridge.
- Blender method: Use a hand blender, as many do in both Pakistan and India, to process the grains and meat into a thick porridge-like texture. Use the blender in pulses as you want the haleem to retain a little texture.
