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Pakistani

Haleem

Non-vegetarian

حلیم · Haleem

A thick, porridge-like stew of wheat, barley and several lentils slow-cooked with spiced beef until everything melts together, then beaten smooth and topped with crisp onions, ginger, mint and lemon.

Haleem is a Pakistani main course, ready in about 4 hours and made with whole wheat berries and beef chuck. It serves 8 and is rated intermediate to cook.

Start cooking
Close-up of a flavorful Haleem dish garnished with mint, lime, and chili peppers.
Photo: Mohammad Fahim / Pexels · Pexels License
Prep
30 min
Cook
3 h 30 min
Total
4 h
Serves
8
Level
Intermediate
Calories
364

Plus overnight soaking of the wheat, barley and chana dal.

Ingredients

8 servings

Grains and lentils

Meat

To finish

To serve

Equipment

Method

  1. Step 1

    Drain the soaked wheat, barley (opens in a new tab) and chana dal (opens in a new tab). Put them in a large pot with the lentils, urad (opens in a new tab), mung beans (opens in a new tab), turmeric (opens in a new tab) and 1.5 litres water. Simmer, stirring now and then, until everything is completely soft and starting to break down, about 2 hours.

    A curry simmering in a pot
    How it looks · Photo: Bachir Mamud on Pexels

  2. Step 2

    Meanwhile heat the oil in a heavy pot and fry the onions (opens in a new tab) until deep brown and crisp. Lift out half for topping.

    Onions frying golden in a pan
    How it looks · Photo: Magda Ehlers on Pexels

  3. Step 3

    Add the beef, garlic (opens in a new tab) and ginger to the remaining onions (opens in a new tab) and fry until sealed. Stir in the yogurt (opens in a new tab), spices and salt, fry for 5 minutes, then add 750 ml water, cover and simmer until the meat shreds easily, about 1½ hours.

    • 95 min
    • low heat

    Food safety: Wash hands and boards after handling raw meat.

  4. Step 4

    Shred the meat with two forks and tip it with its gravy into the grain pot. Beat vigorously with a wooden spoon (or pulse briefly with a stick blender) for 20–30 minutes over low heat until stretchy and smooth, adding hot water if it becomes too thick.

    • 25 min
    • low heat

    Constant stirring stops the bottom from catching.

  5. Step 5

    Stir in the ghee (opens in a new tab). Serve in bowls topped with the crisp onions (opens in a new tab), ginger, mint (opens in a new tab), coriander, green chilli (opens in a new tab) and lemon (opens in a new tab).

    • 2 min

About this dish

Origin
Indian subcontinent · Commonly attributedDescends from the Arab/Persian harees; developed across the subcontinent and is a much-loved dish in Pakistan, India (notably Hyderabad) and Bangladesh.Also popular in Pakistan, India, Bangladesh
Dish
Lunch · Dinner · Main courses · Stews & braises
Cooking method
Slow-cooked, Simmered, Stewed
Taste
savoury, rich, aromatic / warmly spiced, spicy (chilli heat)
Diet
No nut ingredients · High-protein
All labelsNon-vegetarian · Egg-free · No nut ingredients · No added sugar · Alcohol-free · Pork-free · High-protein · Carb-conscious · Calorie-conscious
With the listed swaps: Beef-freeWorked out from the ingredients. How labels work
Good for
Batch cooking · Freezer-friendly · Make-ahead · Festive & celebration
Cook more with
Whole wheat berries · Beef chuck · Pearl barley · Chana dal (split bengal gram) · Red lentils · Black gram (urad dal)
Techniques
Simmering · Stewing

Allergens

  • Contains: Milkfrom yogurt, ghee
  • Contains: Wheatfrom whole wheat berries
  • Contains: Glutenfrom whole wheat berries, pearl barley

Based on typical versions of these ingredients and not verified allergen-free. Brands differ and cross-contact happens, so always check labels. For severe allergies, follow your clinician’s advice.

Nutrition

364 kcal per serving

Estimated

1 serving ≈ 454 g · recipe makes 8

Where the energy comes from

  • Protein 26%
  • Carbohydrate 32%
  • Fat 42%
Nutrition per serving and per 100 g
NutrientPer servingPer 100 g*
Energy364 kcal80 kcal
Protein23.9 g5.3 g
Carbohydrate30.2 g6.6 g
Net carbohydrate24.1 g5.3 g
Sugars2.9 g0.6 g
Added sugars0 g0 g
Fibre6 g1.3 g
Fat17.5 g3.9 g
Saturated fat4.6 g1 g
Trans fat——
Cholesterol58 mg13 mg
Sodium807 mg178 mg
Salt equivalent2 g0.4 g
Vitamins & minerals per serving
Potassium
601 mg
Calcium
95 mg
Iron
3.9 mg
Magnesium
75 mg
Vitamin A (RAE)
41 µg
Vitamin C
4 mg
Vitamin D
0.1 µg
Vitamin B12
1.8 µg
Folate (DFE)
89 µg

How these numbers were made

  • Calculated from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy) per-100 g values and the listed quantities.
  • *Per 100 g of combined raw ingredients; the cooked dish may weigh more or less.
  • Optional ingredients are not included: fresh ginger, mint, coriander leaves, green chilli, lemon.
  • Chana dal (split bengal gram): Whole raw chickpeas / bengal gram (FDC 173756) used as a stand-in for split, skinned desi chickpeas; the composition is very close.
  • Garam masala: Curry powder (FDC 170924) used as a stand-in; both are ground blends of similar dried spices used in teaspoon amounts.
  • “—” means the value isn’t known for enough of the ingredients; it is never zero by default.
  • Values are estimates for guidance, not for medical dosing. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. fdc.nal.usda.gov.

Good to know

Tips

  • A pressure cooker cuts the grain cooking to about 40 minutes.
  • The texture should be thick and slightly stringy, not a smooth purée.

Common mistakes

  • Under-cooking the wheat leaves a grainy texture that no amount of blending fixes.

Serve with

  • Serve with naan and extra lemon wedges.

Storage

  • Keeps 3 days refrigerated; freezes well for up to 3 months.

Reheating

  • Reheat slowly with a splash of water, stirring constantly.

Variations

  • Chicken haleem: Use bone-in chicken, which shortens the meat cooking to about 40 minutes.

Original editorial recipe · FriendsPantry editorial · Not yet independently reviewed · Added · Updated

Recipe DNA

How this dish is built

Built from the recipe’s own sections. Each band’s width is its share of the dish by weight. Choose a component to see what it does.

What the dish is built around

Meat

Make Punjabi garam masalaUsed in steps 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

Masalas in this recipe

Make the masala first, then come back to finish the dish.

Reviews & corrections

Reviews come from signed-in cooks and appear after a moderator checks them. We never show made-up ratings.

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