Making Haleem and Nihari

Haleem

Ingredients (7 grains)

1 cup wheat
¼ cup plus 1 tbsp. barley
¼ cup white maash dal (Urud)
¼ cup moong dal
¼ cup masoor dal
¼ cup basmati rice
1 cup chana dal
½ to ¾ cup oil
2 ½ lbs (Preferably boneless veal or beef stew (without fat), mutton and chicken can be used as well.)
1 ½ cup chicken or beef stock
1 ½ heaped tbsp red chillie powder (increase or decrease to taste if needed)
Salt to taste
2 to 3 tbsp ginger garlic paste
1 tbsp (heaped) coriander powder
1 ½ tsp level turmeric powder
1 ½ large onions (sliced for frying)

Ingredients for Dum (sealed pot cooking)

1 level tsp garam masala powder
¼ tsp jayfal powder
¼ tsp javatree powder
½ tsp black cumin
½ tsp green cardamom powder

Ingredients for garish (or to be served on the side)

Lemon wedges, chopped cilantro and green chillie, fried onions, julienned ginger, chaat masala, yoghurt and naan.

Method

Wash and soak all seven grains for 6 to 8 hours.

In a pan, fry onions until golden brown, adding meat, ginger garlic, chillie powder, turmeric, coriander powder, stock and salt. Cook until the korma is tender.

In a large separate pot, boil pre-soaked grains until tender, approximately 2 to 2 ½ hours. Eyeball the water quantity (for boiling and cooking) depending on the required consistency and thickness of the haleem.

Once boiled, put grains in blender and blend roughly, pouring the blended grains back in the pot for cooking.

Repeat the blending process with the meat korma, pouring the roughly blended korma into the cooking grains. Mix thoroughly on low to medium flame, stirring constantly.

Cook and stir until the correct consistency; tasting for salt and chillie content.

The haleem must be well blended, now add all five dum ingredients, mix well and initiatedum (sealed pot cooking) for a few minutes.

Garish and serve with a side of naan, if desired.

 

Nihari

Ingredients (serves 10 to 12)

Masala 1

1¼ cup oil
5 lbs veal or beef shank with bone
Salt to taste
3 tsp garam masala powder
3 tsp red chili powder
4 tsp coriander powder
1½ tbsp ginger
1½ tbsp garlic
1½ tsp turmeric powder
6 tbsp white flour
2 medium onions, sliced (1/4 to 1/3 cup oil for frying onions)

Nihari Masala Spices 2 (Grind to a fine powder)

2 sticks peepli
2 ½ tbsp coriander seeds
½ tsp mace powder
½ tsp nutmeg powder
2 bay leaves
2 cinnamon sticks
4 black cardamoms
20 cloves
10 green cardamoms
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tbsp black peppercorns
4 tbsp fennel seeds
¼ tsp anise seeds

Garnish (Chopped)

Fresh cilantro Fresh green chili Ginger Lemons Fried onions

Method

Heat oil, braise meat evenly on high heat for a few minutes, add masala 1 ingredients to the meat, with the exception of flour and onions, and cook on high heat until the meat is evenly coated.

Add 10 glasses of water to the meat, then dissolve flour in four glasses of water and add to the meat, ensuring that the meat is completely immersed in the water, add more if required and bring to boil.

Add finely powdered nihari masala 2 to the boiling mix. Lower the heat to medium and let it simmer for six to seven hours. Fry the onions until golden brown, then add to the Nihari and cook for another 15 to 20 minutes.

Garnish and serve with hot naan.