Hyderabadi Haleem

Ingredients

• 500g bone-in mutton or goat, cubed
• 1 cup broken wheat (dalia)
• 3 tbsp chana dal
• 3 tbsp masoor dal
• 3 tbsp moong dal
• 3 tbsp urad dal
• 2 large onions, thinly sliced, for frying
• 2 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
• 1 cinnamon stick, 4 cloves, 4 green cardamom pods, and 1 bay leaf
• 1 tsp black peppercorns
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• 5 tbsp ghee
• oil, for frying the onions
• fresh mint, cilantro, and lemon wedges, to serve
• salt, to taste

Before you cook

• Soak the broken wheat and all four lentils together in water for at least 4 hours, or overnight.
• Fry the sliced onions in oil over medium heat, stirring often, for 15 minutes until deep golden and crisp, then drain on paper towel.

Steps

1. Combine the mutton with the whole spices, half the ginger-garlic paste, and 4 cups water in a pot.
2. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 1 hour 30 minutes until the meat is falling off the bone.
3. Remove the meat, discard the bones and whole spices, and shred the meat finely, pounding it with the back of a spoon to break down the fibers.
4. Drain the soaked wheat and lentils and add them to the reserved meat stock.
5. Simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally, until the wheat and lentils are completely soft and mushy.
6. Return the shredded meat to the pot.
7. Mash and stir the mixture vigorously and continuously over low heat for 30 minutes, scraping the bottom every few minutes, until it forms one smooth, thick, homogeneous porridge with no distinguishable grains.
8. Add hot water in small amounts as needed to keep the mixture thick but stirrable.
9. Stir in the remaining ginger-garlic paste, chili powder, turmeric, and salt, and simmer for 10 more minutes.
10. Finish with the ghee and half the fried onions stirred through.
11. Serve hot in bowls, topped with the remaining fried onions, mint, cilantro, and a squeeze of lemon.