Ramadan is a special time for Muslims around the world to observe fasting which is one of the Five Pillars of Islam. With the beginning of the holy month, the special Arabian dish of Ramzan – Haleem starts trending worldwide. Origin of this dish goes back to the 10th century, with its mention in the Kitab Al-Tabikh (Book of Recipes), the oldest surviving Arabic cookbook. The dish has been on its journey ever since from the cookbook of the popular dishes for kings, caliphs, lords and leaders of Baghdad to earn its place in the global platter.

Haleem is made with wheat or barley, minced meat, lentils and spices. They serve as high-calorie dish enriched with protein and fibre from meat and combination of grams and pulses. They are famous around the globe with popular variations like Hareesa, Khichra. The modern Haleem popular in India finds its root in the kitchens of Nizam. You will find an interesting Iranian twist of the dish in the article Break Rules, Blend Lamb. Let’s start cooking!

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups Tadka Dal (Green Gram, Black Gram, Chickpea, Kidney Bean, Lentil);
• 1 cup Dalia;
• 250 gm chicken;
• 1 cup onion;
• 1 cup tomato puree;
• 2 teaspoon kasuri methi;
• 1/2 cup coriander;
• 3 teaspoon Haleem powder (Coriander Seed, Cumin, Black Pepper, Clove, Cardamom, Cinnamon, Star Anise, Javitri, Jaiphal, Shah Jeera). You can make it at home as described in Step 2;
• 3 teaspoon curd;
• 1 teaspoon garlic-ginger paste;
• Turmeric powder, Red chilly powder, and salt to taste.

PREPARATION

1. Soak 2 cups of dal for 6 hours or overnight and drain.

2. Fry all the ingredients of the Haleem powder over low heat and grind them finely to make Haleem powder. Store it for future use in curries.
3. Marinate the chicken with 3 teaspoon curd, 1 teaspoon ginger garlic paste, 1 teaspoon turmeric powder, 1 teaspoon Haleem powder, 2 teaspoon kasuri methi, salt and 1 teaspoon red chilly powder for an hour. You can use minced chicken or slice them into small bite-size pieces.

4. Add the soaked Dal in the pressure cooker along with 3 cups of water, turmeric powder, salt and 1 teaspoon oil and cook on high flame until it whistles for five times.

5. Cool the cooked Dal and grind them to paste.

6. Add Dalia and 1 cup water in the pressure cooker and cook on high flame until it whistles twice.
7. Heat some oil in karahi/wok/pot and fry the onions till golden brown. Keep them aside. It will be needed for garnish.

8. Add marinated chicken to the pot and cook them until they are about 3/4^th done. Add the tomato puree, coriander and 2 teaspoons Haleem powder and cook until the chicken is tender and juicy.

8. Add Dal paste and Dalia to the pot with cooked chicken. Cook the stew on high flame until the stew starts to bubble. Garnish the stew with fried onions. The dish is ready to serve.

You can serve the dish with a combination of fried onions, coriander, lemon juice and green chilies. The presentation of the dish is as important as its flavor. A bowl of the delicious stew is a protein-rich treat for your taste buds and makes you wonder its origin story.

Please share your feedback in comments or on our social media pages. We are eager to hear your variations and fusion of this popular dish.