Soft in mouth with extraordinary complex taste of wheat, turkey, butter, cinnamon, and sweetness.
Haleem is rich in calories and protein and like many traditional recipes originated in rural communities where there were many mouths to feed and where people needed to eat because they did physical labor every day.
Nowadays we don’t cook high-calorie foods for large number of people. But making Haleem at home is still practical, because extras can always be given to friends and families or can go in the freezer.
Haleem is one of the most popular meals in south-west Asia and the Middle-East. It is eaten in plenty of other parts of the world but most commonly by Muslims, especially in the holy month of Ramadan, for the Iftar while breaking their fast. In today’s Iran, Haleem is eaten in the morning to provide sufficient calories for a hard working day.
The main ingredients of Haleem are pounded wheats and meat (Mutton or Turkey) but, different regions have their own recipes by adding a wide variety of additional ingredients.
It is good to know that Haleem has Persian roots. This recipe is a Persian version called Turkey Haleem.
Ingredients
Serves 20 People
500 Grams whole wheat grains
1 Kilo Turkey breast or wings bones in
1 Big onion chopped
½ Cup sugar
200 Grams butter
2 Tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 Teaspoon turmeric
Salt and pepper as needed
Instructions
preparations
Wash the wheats grains in a 5-litre skillet 3 to 4 times until clear and soak them in cold water for at least 24 hours ahead of time.
Place the meat on a cutting board and trim extra fats and non-mussel tissues.
Cooking
In a large skillet add wheat grains and 6 cups of water and cook over low heat for 2 to 3 hours until the wheat grains are soft.
Blend the well-cooked wheat grains with a submergible mixer until soft and creamy.
Set the heat to medium, add 2 table spoons of oil in a 5-litre skillet, then add onions. Cook for 5 minutes stirring occasionally until soft. Add seasoning, stir, and let the seasoning flavours to diffuse.
Add the meats to the skillet and cook until browned all around. Then reduce the heat to low and add 1 cup of water. Cover the skillet and cook for at least one hour or until the meat is well-cooked. Keep eye on it and add more water if needed. You may use a pressure cooker to cook the meat quicker.
Pound the cooked meat until the meat is distorted to fine fibres.
Combine the meat and the creamy wheat mixture and pound together on low heat for another 20 minutes until a soft elastic and sticky paste. Keep in mind, the word Haleem means passion and perseverance. Don’t try making Haleem If you’re not physically able to bear a hard work.
Add butter and cinnamon and mix well. The Haleem is ready to serve. You could use half of the butter and cinnamon to the mixture and to let the people to add, from the rest, as they need.
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