Caroline's Saucy Kitchen

This is my version of a dish we love eating.  It’s a little fiddly to make so make sure you have everything ready to go before you start cooking. You can buy most of the ingredients at your local Indian store.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup cracked wheat
• 1 cup mixed dal
• 1 cup channa dal
• 2 ounces fresh ginger
• 12 garlic cloves
• 2 jalapenos or your favorite hot pepper
• 3 teaspoons cumin powder
• 3 teaspoons cayenne pepper
• 2 teaspoons turmeric
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 2 tablespoons oil
• 2 large onions chopped
• 10 green cardamom
• 10 cloves
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 pounds of stewing beef cut into small cubes, visible fat removed
• 6 ounces plain yogurt
• 4 cups beef broth/stock

Ingredients for topping:

• fried onions
• sliced hot green chili
• raw onions chopped
• fresh lemon
• your favorite naan/roti bread

Preparation Method:

1. Put the wheat and dals into a bowl. Cover them with water and let them soak. Do this while you prep all other ingredients.
2. In a blender, add the ginger, garlic, and chili peppers. Then, include the cumin powder, cayenne pepper, turmeric, salt, and water. Blend them until a paste is formed. Scrape down the sides to make sure all the dry spices are mixed well.
3. In a large saucepan, melt the butter and oil together. Fry the onions until they start to brown. Toss in the cardamons, cloves, cinnamon sticks, and bay leaf, and fry a little.
4. Turn up the heat and add the beef cubes. Make sure to move them about to brown as well. Stir in the paste you made and yogurt. Make sure the meat is well coated and mixed.
5. Turn heat to low, cover, and cook for gently for 30 minutes.
6. Bring 6 cups of water to a boil. Drain off water from soaking dals and wheat then pour them into the boiling water. Reduce heat and cook until all water has been absorbed about 20-30 minutes (it will look a little like porridge).
7. Transfer the mixture to the meat saucepan and mix well. Pour in the 4 cups of beef broth. Reduce heat to low, cover, and keep on cooking until the meat completely falls apart. This will take anywhere from 4-6 hours depending on the beef you choose.
8. Stir occasionally. The mixture can get stuck to the bottom of the saucepan as it thickens. You need to move the mixture about to help break up the meat. Add more broth/water if get too thick.
9. Taste to make sure you have enough salt and heat – add more if needed.

To Serve:

Spoon the haleem into a serving bowl. You can top it with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice. Add fried onions, raw onions, or chili. Eat with your favorite Indian bread.

This dish freezes well to enjoy again another day!