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A Rich Recipe with A Rich History
This treasure of a recipe has a rich and varied history dating back to ancient Persia. The original Arabic version, called Harees, first made its debut in the Indian Subcontinent during the time of Humayun’s reign. According to an article in bawarchi.com, Humayun was first introduced to this hearty meal during his exile in Persia and brought it back to the Mughal court with him. Popular during the entire Mughal reign, this hearty meat and lentil porridge was just as popular during the rule of the Nizams in the early 19th century. During the reign of the 7th Nizam the dish gained widespread popularity in the State of Hyderabad and Haleem as we know of it today was born.
The Meat
Haleem is traditionally made with beef and I personally think it works best in this Easy Pakistani Beef Haleem Recipe. However, many people like to cook it with Lamb, Goat Meat, Chicken and even Veal. I recently even heard of a Vegetarian version that was made with Impossible Meat! While I often use stew meat out of sheer convenience, the best cut to use is a beef shank. This will give you those perfect threads of meat that Haleem is famous for. Plus, the bone and the excess fat attached to it gives the stew a lot of added flavor. {The bone can later be removed and discarded}
The Lentil Mix
The blend of lentils or Dal that is used is just as important as the type of meat used. The type of meat used results in the fibrous threads and the lentil mix used results in the slightly sticky porridge like texture of the Haleem. You’ll find many variations in different recipes, but the 3 absolutes are Whole wheat or Haleem wheat, Barley and Chana Dal (Chickpea Lentils). I personally also like to use red lentils (masoor daal), white lentils (urad dal) and split mung daal in my blend. The Wheat and Barley are the grains that give the Haleem it’s porridge like consistency. The Chana Daal provides a little texture and the other lentils help fuse the grains and this harder lentil. Together, the blend creates the perfect sticky, grainy and nutritious mixture that coats the meat fibres.
The Spice Blend
When you’re cooking something that requires so much effort, you want the perfect spice blend. Of course, you can always go the easy route and buy a store bought premade one but I prefer to make my own, using fresh spices. It takes very little time and the difference in taste is huge. The blend is a mixture of some whole spices, such as cinnamon sticks and cloves that are dry roasted and ground to make a garam masala powder. This ground mixture is then mixed with powdered spices such as salt, red chili powder and turmeric powder to complete the Haleem Masala. Now that the three main components of the Haleem are ready it’s time to start cooking!
Cooking Technique
Although Hyderabadi Haleem is perhaps the most famous one, I promise this home cooked easy Haleem recipe will be just as delicious. You will likely come across many recipes, each one claiming that theirs is the best method to cook Haleem. After lots of testing, in an Instant pot, Slow cooker, Stovetop, Pressure Cooker, I’m giving you my favorite method below. The best part about my recipe is that it can be cooked in just one pot! Use the stove top or my new favorite gadget, the 360cookware slow cooker!
Saute The Meat
In both methods, you start with the pot on the stove and start cooking on high heat. For this recipe I like to use the 360cookware 6 quart stock pot directly on the stove and sautee my garlic paste first. Next, I add the meat, saute it till it is no longer pink and then add the spice blend. After about 2-3 minutes I add the lentils along with 12 cups of water. After a quick stir to make sure nothing is sticking to the bottom of the pan, I bring this meat mixture to a boil.
Tenderize The Meat
Then I cover it and either 1. place the stock pot directly on the slow cooker base and set it to cook at speed # 4 for 2 hours. Till the meat is cooked. 2. Cook the Haleem directly on the stove on medium heat for about 2 hours till the meat is cooked. With the stove method, I usually need to check and adjust the flame and water every 30 minutes or so to make sure the mixture is not sticking to the bottom.
Grind The Meat
After 2 hours, using a slotted spoon, remove the beef from the mixture. Place it in a food processor and pulse just 2-3 times to slightly break up the pieces. Set aside in a separate bowl. Remove about ⅓ of the lentil mix and puree it to a fine paste. Add back the pureed meat and lentils to the mixture in the stockpot. Stir, add some water if needed, cover and cook: 1. On Speed #3 for 2 more hours on the slow cooker base. 2. On low heat on the stove for 2 more hours on the stove. Once again, checking occasionally to see if it is sticking to the bottom of the pot or the water is evaporating too quickly. Note: If you’re interested in trying the above slow cooker, head over to 360cookware.com and use code Nosheen20 to get 20 % off your order.
Temper & Finish The Haleem
After 2 hours, temper the Haleem with some fried onions. Cook for another 30 minutes or so at Speed #2 on the slow cooker base or low on your stove. When you feel that your Haleem is the perfect consistency, turn the stove/slow cooker off, your cooking time is complete.
The Garnish
Haleem is always enjoyed with an array of garnishes. They are usually prepped and laid out on the table and added per individual taste. The most common Haleem accompaniments are:
Lemon Wedges Green Chilli Slice Mint Leaves Fresh Coriander Leaves {Cilantro} Chaat Masala
What To Eat It With
Now comes the best part! Eating your Easy Pakistani Beef Haleem Recipe. Where I come from in Punjab, we always eat Haleem with fresh Naan. However, if you ever buy your Haleem off the Hyderabad Streets you may well get just a simple bowl of Haleem along with the garnishes. Eat it as you wish but don’t miss out on this recipe! It sounds complicated but is actually very simple once you get all of your ingredients organized.
Storage And Reheating
Your Easy Pakistani Beef Haleem Recipe will stay fresh in the fridge for up to 3 days. But the best part about Haleem is it freezes really well! I always make extra and store it in portions. It will stay fresh in the freezer for upto 3 months. When you’re ready to eat it, defrost it, add a little bit of water to it and heat it on the stove. Stir it a little bit to get the consistency back to its original form and you’re good to go! Happy Cooking! Please remember to rate and comment below and share your pictures on social media!
