Haleem

Name: Haleem
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 180 min
Total time: 690 min
Yield: 8 bowls
Cuisine: Pakistani
Ingredients: 800 g Lamb, shoulder or leg, bone-in, cut into chunks; beef or mutton also work; 200 g Bulgur, coarse, or cracked wheat (dalia), soaked overnight; 150 g Lentils, a mix of chana dal and red lentils, soaked overnight; 50 g Mung beans, split yellow mung, soaked; 50 g Rice, soaked; 3 large Onion, thinly sliced; 6 tbsp Ghee; 40 g Ginger, half grated, half matchsticks to serve; 6 clove Garlic, crushed; 1 tbsp Garam masala; 2 tsp Chilli powder; 1 tsp Turmeric; 1 tsp Cumin, ground; 1 handful Coriander, chopped, to serve; 1 handful Mint, leaves, to serve; 3 piece Fresh chilli, green, sliced, to serve; 2 piece Lemon, wedges; 2.5 l Water; 1 tbsp Salt

حلیم

Wheat, lentils and meat cooked and beaten into a thick porridge, then crowned with fried onion, ginger and lemon.

Recipe by I Want Some Food · Reviewed by the editorial kitchen. Native name preserved: حلیم.

Start cooking

Prep: 30 min
Cook: 3 hr
Rest: 8 hr
Total: 11 hr 30 min
Difficulty: Medium
Spice: Medium heat
Cost: A bit special$16–28 USD · indicative, not a store price

Know it before you cook it

About

Haleem is a slow stew of cracked wheat, several lentils and meat cooked separately, then combined and beaten until the meat fibres and the grains become one thick paste. The texture is the point: smooth but with a little grain, heavy enough to hold a spoon upright for a moment. Spicing is moderate, mostly garam masala and ginger. The garnish does the brightening: crisp fried onion, ginger matchsticks, green chilli, coriander, mint and lemon. This home version uses a pressure cooker for the meat and a hand blender for the beating, which cuts a day's work to an afternoon.

What you'll need

19 ingredients. Tap each one once it's out on the bench.

0 of 19 ready

8 servings

Ingredients

Servings

Lamb, shoulder or leg, bone-in, cut into chunks; beef or mutton also work800 g
Bulgur, coarse, or cracked wheat (dalia), soaked overnight200 g
Lentils, a mix of chana dal and red lentils, soaked overnight150 g
Mung beans, split yellow mung, soaked50 g
Rice, soaked (optional)50 g
Onion, thinly sliced3 large
Ghee89 ml
Ginger, half grated, half matchsticks to serve40 g
Garlic, crushed6 clove
Garam masala15 ml
Chilli powder9.9 ml
Turmeric4.9 ml
Cumin, ground4.9 ml
Coriander, chopped, to serve1 handful
Mint, leaves, to serve1 handful
Fresh chilli, green, sliced, to serve3
Lemon, wedges2
Water2½ l
Salt15 ml

Scaling multiplies the written quantities. Baking still prefers a scale.

Steps

Step 1
Drain the soaked wheat, lentils, mung and rice. Put them in a large pot with 1.5 litres of water and a teaspoon of salt. Simmer gently, stirring often, until everything is collapsing, about 90 minutes.
90 min
Watch: Stir from the bottom. Wheat porridge catches and burns without warning.
Step 2
Meanwhile fry the sliced onions in the ghee in a wide pan until deep brown and crisp, 20 to 25 minutes. Drain on paper and keep the ghee.
25 min
Tip: Take them further than looks safe. Pale fried onion tastes of nothing on haleem.
Step 3
In the pressure cooker, warm 3 tablespoons of the onion ghee. Fry the grated ginger and garlic 1 minute, then the garam masala, chilli powder, turmeric and cumin. Add the meat, the remaining salt and 1 litre of water. Cook at high pressure 45 minutes.
50 min
Step 4
Lift out the meat, discard bones, and shred it finely. Return it to its cooking liquid and add a third of the fried onions.
10 min
Step 5
Combine the meat pot with the grain pot. Blend with a hand blender in short pulses until mostly smooth but with visible meat strands. Simmer 30 minutes more, stirring, until thick and glossy. Loosen with hot water if it is stiff.
30 min
Step 6
Reheat the rest of the onion ghee and pour it over the top. Serve each bowl with fried onion, ginger matchsticks, green chilli, coriander, mint and lemon.

Nutrition

Per serving · estimate

Calories: 569 kcal
Protein: 33.3 g
Carbs: 37.8 g
Fat: 32.1 g
Saturated fat: 15.2 g
Fibre: 8.5 g
Sugar: 4.5 g
Sodium: 1435 mg

Calculated from canonical ingredient data (USDA FoodData Central averages and equivalent published tables). Estimates only.

Allergens

Informational only. Not a medical guarantee. Cross-contamination happens in real kitchens.

Wheat
Milk

Nut-free

Adapt this recipe

The original recipe stays as it is. Personal versions are labelled. Serving changes are simple maths.

Adaptations · 0 / 15 used. Resets 12 November.

Substitutions

Bulgur or cracked wheat → Pearl barley or rolled oats
Barley keeps more bite. Oats go very soft and need less water.
Lamb → Boneless chicken thighs
Chicken haleem is common and quicker; cook the chicken 25 minutes rather than pressure cooking.

Tips

Haleem thickens as it cools. Keep some hot water handy when reheating.
A bone-in cut gives better body than boneless. Fish the bones out before blending.
Make a day ahead if you can. The flavour settles and the texture gets silkier.

History & culture

Haleem is Ramadan food across Pakistan, served at iftar in huge cauldrons stirred with wooden paddles. It is also Muharram food in Karachi and Hyderabad, cooked communally and given away. Outside those seasons it is a weekend or celebration dish.

The dish descends from harees, an Arab wheat and meat porridge. Spiced with lentils and garam masala, it became haleem in Mughal India. Hyderabad's version got protected geographical status in 2010; Pakistan's is more lentil-heavy and usually made with beef or mutton rather than lamb.

Traditional — The hand blender replaces an hour of beating with a wooden ghotni. The result is slightly smoother than street haleem, which keeps more meat strands.

Provenance: Editorial adaptation.

Questions about this recipe

Answers taken from this dish's times, amounts, swaps and tips.

How long does Haleem take?

11 hr 30 min all in — 30 min prep, 3 hr cook, 8 hr rest. Cook and rest follow the method. Leftover storage and optional extra waits are not included.

How many does it serve?

The recipe is written for 8 bowls. Scale the ingredient list on the page if you are cooking for a different number.

How hard is it?

Medium.

How spicy is it?

Medium heat.

What allergens should I watch?

This recipe is labelled for Wheat, Milk. Labels are informational — check the packets in your kitchen. This is not medical advice.

Does it fit a diet?

The published recipe is labelled Nut-free.

8 more questions

What does it cost to cook?

A bit special — about $16–28 USD, as a grocery budget for this recipe, not a restaurant price.

What equipment do I need?

Pressure cooker, Dutch oven, Blender, Frying pan.

How much salt do I put in?

The recipe lists Salt at 1 tbsp.

What can I use instead?

Bulgur or cracked wheat → Pearl barley or rolled oats. Barley keeps more bite. Oats go very soft and need less water. Lamb → Boneless chicken thighs. Chicken haleem is common and quicker; cook the chicken 25 minutes rather than pressure cooking.

What should I watch for?

Stir from the bottom. Wheat porridge catches and burns without warning.

Any tips from this recipe?

Haleem thickens as it cools. Keep some hot water handy when reheating. A bone-in cut gives better body than boneless. Fish the bones out before blending. Make a day ahead if you can. The flavour settles and the texture gets silkier.

Can I prepare this ahead?

Make a day ahead if you can. The flavour settles and the texture gets silkier. Reheat the rest of the onion ghee and pour it over the top. Serve each bowl with fried onion, ginger matchsticks, green chilli, coriander, mint and lemon.

Can I use an air fryer?

This method is not written for an air fryer. The core technique on the page still applies.