Cooking

IIE DIGITAL DESK : The holy month of Ramzan, traditional delicacies hold special importance, and one such favourite dish is mutton haleem, a rich and flavourful preparation loved by food enthusiasts. Instead of depending on restaurant orders or iftar invitations, many people prefer preparing authentic mutton haleem at home to enjoy the warm aroma of slow cooked meat, blended grains and clarified butter. With the right proportion of ingredients, patience and cooking technique, restaurant style haleem can easily be prepared in a domestic kitchen.

Haleem is a slow cooked stew like dish that combines mutton with multiple grains, creating a smooth, thick and highly nutritious texture. The preparation may appear complex, but following proper steps ensures perfect consistency and authentic taste. The key secret behind delicious haleem lies in slow cooking, continuous stirring and maintaining low flame throughout the final cooking process.

The recipe begins with washing broken wheat, rice and lentils properly. Ingredients such as crushed wheat, rice, moong dal, masoor dal and chana dal should be soaked in water for at least three to four hours. After soaking, these grains are pressure cooked with sufficient water until they become soft. Once cooked, the mixture should be lightly mashed using a wooden spoon or hand blender to create a smooth paste like texture without lumps.

On the other hand, mutton pieces with bones should be washed and marinated with yogurt, ginger garlic paste, turmeric powder, red chilli powder and salt for about thirty minutes. This marinated mutton is then cooked in a pan with oil and a little ghee, along with finely chopped onions fried until golden brown. Coriander powder, black pepper powder and a small amount of water are added before covering the meat and allowing it to cook slowly. In a pressure cooker, the mutton should be cooked for four to five whistles until the meat becomes extremely tender.

After cooling, the soft cooked mutton should be separated from the bones and shredded into fine pieces. The next step involves mixing the shredded mutton with the cooked grain mixture in a large vessel. Continuous stirring is essential at this stage to ensure that the haleem does not form lumps. Cooking should be done on very low flame and if required, a little hot water can be added to maintain the desired thickness. Ideally, this stirring process should continue for at least one hour or more for better flavour development.

Finally, garam masala powder and a generous spoonful of ghee should be added to enhance aroma and richness. The prepared haleem should be served hot in bowls, garnished with fried onions, chopped green chillies, fresh coriander leaves and a few drops of lemon juice. Some people also prefer adding extra ghee on top before serving.

Once prepared using this method, this authentic mutton haleem recipe can easily match the taste and texture of restaurant style haleem, allowing families to enjoy a delicious and traditional Ramzan special dish at home.