Haleem originated in old Persia as a dish called Harees. This dish and its variations are still eaten today in many parts of the Middle East and North Africa. Made with meat, ghee, wheat, rice, and whole pulses, it is said to have come to Hyderabad during the Mughal period via Iran and Afghanistan.
Haleem is traditionally slow-cooked overnight, and two to three people are required to stir it continuously. True to the dish’s cooking time, ‘Haleem’ in Arabic means ‘patient.’
Although Haleem had reached Hyderabad during the reign of the sixth Nizam Mahbub Ali Khan, it only became Hyderabad’s own under the seventh Nizam Mir Osman Ali Khan in the first half of the 20th century. Sultan Saif Nawaz Jung Bahadur, a scion of Al-Qu'aiti dynasty of Yemen, then a prominent noble in the seventh Nizam’s court, all the more popularized the dish when he used it as the star of his dinner parties. Madina Hotel at Pathargatti, one of the oldest restaurants in the city, introduced Haleem to its menu in 1956, making this royal delicacy accessible to the common people of Hyderabad.
In 2010, Hyderabadi Haleem acquired a G.I . ( Geographical Identification ) certification, making Haleem an intellectual property of Hyderabad state.
My mother makes a Haleem recipe from old Hyderabad. It is not the commercial stuff ladled out into bowls today, but a very traditional recipe. When she married my father and moved to the tea plantations in South India, her inlaws sent over their old cook, Ulfat Bi, to train the new bride in classic Hyderabadi cuisine, including this traditional recipe.
This is not the normal Haleem. It consists of two dishes that are mixed together by each diner on the table. The porridge is light and forms the base. The magic in the Haleem is its consistency; it is chewy, and the gluten from the wheat gives the dish its trademark sticky texture that is perfect. The korma is bold and has all the spices and flavour. Each diner can change the consistency of their serving; some like it thicker with more porridge, and some more flavourful with more korma. It does not matter; this Haleem is absolutely fantastic and better than most out there in the market.
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Ingredients: 3 cups whole wheat
1 cup ground mutton
4 tablespoons ginger-garlic paste
Salt, to taste
6 cups water
1 teaspoon garam masala
Cilantro, minced
Limes, wedged
2 tablespoons oil
3 onions, thinly sliced
For the korma:
1/4 cup oil
2 onions, thinly sliced
1 lb mutton leg, cubed into 1-inch pieces
10 green chillies, sliced
2 tablespoons ginger-garlic paste
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
2 teaspoons chilli powder
3 tablespoons cilantro + to garnish, minced
1 cup whole milk yoghurt
1 cup water
Salt, to taste
For the porridge:
Soak the whole wheat covered in 4 inches of water for 6 hours. Turn on the stove and bring the mixture to a boil. Boil for 1 minute, then turn the heat off. Cover and soak overnight.
The next day, add the ground mutton, ginger-garlic paste, salt, and water to the soaked wheat and bring to a boil. You can either pressure cook the mix in a pressure cooker for 2 whistles or on the stove on low heat for 60 minutes. If cooking on the stove, be careful that the porridge does not stick to the base and burn. The wheat should be very soft and start to break up.
Cool the mix completely. Add 3/4 of the mix to a blender and purée until very smooth. Mix back into the textured 1/4 mix. Taste for salt and spices. The porridge must be thick and chewy, with much texture from the unbroken wheat. The spices should be mild and subtle.
Heat the oil in a frying pan. Add the onions and fry until they are rich golden in colour. Drain on paper towels. Set aside.
To make the korma:
Heat the oil and add the onions. Fry on medium heat until the onions are light golden in colour. Add the meat and fry until the meat is seared on all sides. Be careful not to burn the onions. Stir the ingredients in the pan often.
Add the green chillies and ginger-garlic paste. Fry for 1 minute until the ginger no longer smells raw. Add the turmeric, chilli powder and cilantro. Cook for 1 more minute, tossing the ingredients well to coat the meat with the spices.
Add the yoghurt, water and salt. Mix well and bring to a boil. You can either pressure cook the curry for 3 whistles or slowly simmer the korma for 90 minutes. The meat should be very tender and easily shredded between your fingers. Taste for salt and spice. This is a bold curry with lots of spice and flavour.
To serve, heat the korma and serve separately in a bowl garnished with cilantro. Heat the porridge and serve in a bowl garnished with the fried onions and cilantro and lime wedges on the side. .
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