Hyderabadi Haleem

Name: Hyderabadi Haleem
Prep time: 35 min
Cook time: 2 h 30 min
Total time: 3 h 5 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: hyderabadi
Ingredients: 500 g mutton (bone-in pieces); 0.5 cup broken wheat (soaked 8 hours); 2 tbsp toor dal (soaked 8 hours); 2 tbsp chana dal (soaked 8 hours); 2 tbsp moong dal (soaked 8 hours); 2 tbsp masoor dal (soaked 8 hours); 1 tbsp urad dal (soaked 8 hours); 1 tbsp rice (soaked 8 hours); 3 pcs onion (medium, thinly sliced); 0.5 cup yogurt (plain, whisked); 2 tbsp ginger-garlic paste; 3 pcs green chili (slit); 1 tsp red chili powder; 1 pinch turmeric powder; 1 tsp coriander powder; 0.5 tsp garam masala; 1 tsp cumin seeds; 6 pcs black peppercorns; 4 pcs cloves; 3 pcs green cardamom; 1 inch cinnamon (stick); 1 pcs bay leaf; 0.25 cup mint (loosely packed leaves); 0.25 cup coriander leaves (chopped); 1 tbsp lemon juice; 2 tbsp ghee; 1.5 cup oil for frying (for frying onions); 5 cup water; 0.5 tsp salt

RATING

4.7/5(205)

TASTE SCORE

10/10

A slow-cooked Hyderabadi classic made with mutton, wheat, lentils, fragrant spices, and ghee. The meat turns tender enough to mash into the grains, giving haleem its rich, silky texture and deep savory flavor.

PREP

35m

COOK

150m

SERVES

1 KATORI

774 cal

SERVINGS

METHOD · 9 STEPS

prep · ~8 min
Soak the wheat, lentils, and rice.
Wash the broken wheat, toor dal, chana dal, moong dal, masoor dal, urad dal, and rice well. Soak them together in enough water for 8 hours or overnight.
TIPA long soak helps the grains and lentils break down into the smooth, pasty texture haleem is known for.
fry · ~20 min
Fry the onions until golden.
1.Heat oil for frying in a deep pan over medium heat.
2.Add the sliced onion in batches.
3.Fry until deep golden and crisp, 8 to 10 minutes per batch.
4.Drain and set aside. Reserve a small handful for garnish.
TIPDo not darken the onions too much or they will taste bitter in the finished haleem.
saute · ~17 min
Build the mutton masala base.
1.Heat ghee in a pressure cooker over medium heat.
2.Add cumin seeds, black peppercorns, cloves, green cardamom, cinnamon, and bay leaf.
3.Add ginger-garlic paste and slit green chili; cook for 1 minute.
4.Add mutton and cook for 5 to 6 minutes until the meat loses its raw color.
5.Add yogurt, red chili powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder, salt, and half of the fried onion.
6.Mix well and cook until the masala looks glossy, 4 to 5 minutes.
pressure cook · ~40 min
Cook the mutton until tender.
Add 3 cups water to the cooker, lock the lid, and pressure cook the mutton on medium heat for 35 to 40 minutes, until very tender and easy to shred.
TIPThe meat should be soft enough to mash with a spoon. Tough meat will not give haleem its signature texture.
pressure cook · ~25 min
Cook the soaked grains and lentils.
Drain the soaked broken wheat, lentils, and rice. Add them to a second cooker with 2 cups water and cook for 20 to 25 minutes until completely soft and mushy.
mix · ~12 min
Mash the meat and grains.
1.Open the mutton cooker and remove the whole spices if easy to spot.
2.Shred or pound the cooked mutton in the pot until the meat fibers break apart.
3.Open the grain and lentil cooker and mash the mixture until smooth.
4.Add the mashed grain mixture to the mutton pot and mix well.
TIPA hand masher or sturdy whisk helps create the thick, stretchy texture without needing a blender.
simmer · ~45 min
Slow cook the haleem until thick.
1.Add the remaining 2 cups water if needed to loosen the mixture.
2.Cook over low heat, stirring often so it does not stick.
3.Mash and stir for 35 to 45 minutes until the haleem turns thick, smooth, and slightly stretchy.
4.Stir in garam masala near the end.
TIPKeep the heat low and stir the bottom well. Haleem catches quickly once it starts thickening.
garnish · ~2 min
Finish with herbs, fried onion, and lemon.
Top the haleem with the reserved fried onion, mint, coriander leaves, and lemon juice just before serving.
serve
Serve the haleem hot.

PRO TIPS

What to keep in mind.

8 tips from the recipe — small details that make a real difference to the final dish.

1
Soak the wheat, rice, and dals the full 8 hours; under-soaked grains stay coarse and the haleem will not turn silky.
2
Fry onions in batches and pull them out at deep golden, not dark brown, so they add sweetness without bitterness.
3
Whisk the yogurt before adding and keep the heat moderate so it blends into the masala instead of splitting.
4
Cook the mutton until it crushes easily with the back of a spoon; chewy meat ruins haleem's smooth body.
5
Remove obvious whole spices before mashing so you do not bite into cardamom pods or cloves later.
6
During the final simmer, stir from the bottom corners of the pot every few minutes because haleem catches there first.
7
If the haleem thickens too much on standing, loosen it with hot water and simmer briefly to bring back the right consistency.
8
Haleem tastes even better after a short rest; make it a few hours ahead and reheat gently before garnishing.