Ramzan Delicacy---"Haleem"

The month of Ramadaan is on in full glory and while the month is all about performing your religious duties to the best of your abilities, demonstrating piety n humbleness, abstaining from any sinful act and leading a good life as prescribed by Allah...what it also is about is "iftaar"...i.e. the traditional breaking of the fast at sunset...and while there are a number of delicacies which give "iftaar" it's flavor, there is none more worthy than that special dish, available only during this month, called "haleem".

Ramadaan is incomplete without the lip smacking delight of haleem, a stew/porridge made by slow cooking a combination of lentils, wheat, tender meat and a variety of spices. It's very high on nutritional value and serves well to energise the body after a day long fast.

It is available across cities in India...one can find a stall/joint selling haleem from deghs (big copper utensil) in every Muslim neighbourhood during Ramadaan...however the dish's lovers cut across religious divides. The Hyderabadi haleem is famous all over though I can vouch for the fact that Kolkata has some very worthy chaperones of it's own.


INGREDIENTS :-

500 gm mutton/chicken/beef cut into small pieces
3/4 pieces of cardamom n cloves
1/2 tsp of cumin seeds or zeera
1 cup moong dal
2 Tbsp chana dal
1 cup of broken wheat
2 onions, fried n crushed
2 tsp ginger-garlic paste
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp red chilli powder
2 bunches of coriander leaves, chopped
2 Tbsp curd
Salt
Oil

PREPARATION :-

Soak the wheat separately and the dals together for about 6 hrs
Pressure cook separately with water for upto 4 whistles each
Heat oil, pop the cumin seeds, cardamom and cloves
Add the crushed onions and ginger-garlic paste and fry
Add the meat, turmeric, chilli powder, coriander leaves and salt and cook for upto 4 whistles
Add the curd and mix well
Add the cooked dals and wheat to the meat
Mix well and serve hot with ghee n lemon



P.S. The recipe is not mine:)