Beef Haleem
بیف حلیم
Haleem is the big-pot dish of Muharram, Ramzan iftars and winter weekends, often cooked in quantity and shared with neighbours. Whole wheat (daleem), barley and four kinds of lentils are boiled until soft, then cooked together with spiced beef and beaten until the meat breaks into long threads. The is the work that makes it haleem; without it, you have meat and lentils, not that thick, stretchy texture.
- ⏱ Total: 4 hr 30 min
- Prep: 30 min
- Cook: 4 hr
- Hard
- Serves 8
Method
Tap a step when it is done.
The night before, soak the wheat and barley in plenty of water. Two hours before cooking, rinse the four lentils together and soak them separately.
Drain the grains and lentils and put them in a large with 8 cups of water, half the turmeric and 1 teaspoon of the salt. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer on low heat for 1.5–2 hours, stirring now and then, until the wheat is completely soft and bursts when pressed.
Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large, heavy and fry the onions over medium heat for 15–18 minutes, stirring often, until deep golden brown. Lift out about two-thirds with a slotted spoon and spread on a plate: this is your for the top.
Add the beef and the ginger and garlic paste to the remaining onions and fry on high heat for 5 minutes. Add the chili powder, coriander powder, the rest of the turmeric and salt, then do the for 8–10 minutes until the oil separates.
Pour in 6 cups of hot water, cover and cook on low heat for 2–2.5 hours, until the meat shreds easily with a fork. Lift out any bones and pull the meat into fibres with two forks.
Blend or mash the cooked grains roughly, then add them to the meat. Now the : on low heat, beat the pot hard with a wooden masher (or a hand blender in short bursts) for 20–30 minutes, until the meat disappears into long, stretchy strands.
Stir in the garam masala and keep cooking on the lowest heat for 30–45 minutes, stirring and scraping the bottom every few minutes, until it is thick enough to hold a ridge when you drag a spoon through it. Add hot water if it gets too stiff.
Heat the ghee in a small pan until very hot, add a handful of the birista and pour the sizzling over the haleem.
Serve in bowls topped with birista, ginger strips, green chilies, mint and coriander. Squeeze over lemon, sprinkle with chaat masala, and eat with naan.
Kitchen notes
Haleem catches on the bottom very easily once the grains go in. Use the heaviest pot you have, keep the heat low and scrape the base every time you stir.
Don't blend the meat to a paste. The strands are the point; beat by hand, or use a hand blender only in short bursts and finish with the masher.
Season at the end. Grains and lentils soak up a lot of salt, so taste after the ghotna and adjust.
A dish for sharing
Haleem is cooked for occasions. In the first ten days of Muharram, huge pots are made and distributed as nazr; in Ramzan it is a favourite at iftar; and on cold weekends, families make a big batch and send bowls to the neighbours. Its roots go back to the Arab dish harees, wheat and meat cooked together, which grew richer and spicier in the subcontinent with lentils, chili and fried onions. In Pakistan the name daleem is also common.
Grains, lentils and the ghotna
The base is whole wheat, soaked overnight and boiled until it bursts; barley adds extra creaminess. The lentils (chana, mash, moong and masoor) each break down differently and together give body and a gentle nutty taste. Cook the grains separately from the meat so each gets the time it needs.
The is where haleem is made. Meat that has been slow-cooked until it shreds is beaten together with the grains, and as it is worked, the fibres stretch out into long threads through the porridge. A hand blender saves effort, but overdo it and the meat turns to paste; finish with the wooden masher for the right stringy texture.
Toppings make the bowl
A plain bowl of haleem tastes flat; the garnish is part of the recipe. Crisp adds sweetness, raw ginger and green chilies give heat and freshness, lemon brightens it, and a pinch of adds tang. Many homes also pour a little hot ghee or the oil from the onions on top just before serving.
Making it ahead
Haleem is ideal for making the day before. Cook it fully, cool, and refrigerate in a covered pot. Reheat gently with hot water, stirring until loose again, and fry fresh birista if the old batch has gone soft.
Questions people ask
Can I use broken wheat instead of whole wheat?
Yes. Broken wheat (dalia) cooks in about 45 minutes without overnight soaking, which saves a lot of time. The texture is slightly less chewy but still very good.
Can I make haleem with chicken or mutton?
Both work. Mutton needs about the same time as beef. For chicken, use boneless thigh and cut the meat's cooking time to about 40 minutes; chicken haleem is lighter and quicker.
How do I store and reheat haleem?
It keeps for 3 days in the fridge and freezes for a month. It sets very firm, so reheat with a splash of hot water on low heat, stirring well, and add fresh garnish.
Nutrition (estimate, per serving)
- Calories
- 560
- Protein
- 35 g
- Fat
- 30 g
- Carbs
- 38 g
