Haleem Recipe – Pakistan’s Slow-Cooked Street Food Masterpiece

Haleem (PAKISTAN)

Haleem transforms humble stewing beef, multiple lentils, and whole grains into an ethereal spiced porridge that defines Pakistani comfort food at its finest. This isn’t just stew — it’s alchemy, where hours of patient simmering dissolve boundaries between meat, pulse, and grain into velvety harmony perfumed by a symphony of whole spices fried in rivers of ghee. Featured on Global Street Eats with Chef Devan Rajkumar, this Pakistani street food recipe captures the soul-stirring magic of Lahore’s Ramadan cauldrons and Karachi’s late-night haleem specialists who’ve elevated this dish into high culinary art.

The Inspiration

Ramadan transforms Pakistan’s urban landscapes into Haleem wonderlands. Massive copper cauldrons bubble through the night in Lahore’s Food Street and Karachi’s Burns Road, tended by specialists who’ve dedicated lifetimes to mastering this craft. Wood fires impart subtle smokiness; crowds gather as wooden paddles stir through layers of beef, seven different grains, and spice strata that took hours to build.

Chef Devan Rajkumar honors this tradition on Global Street Eats, replicating wood-fired patience through immersion blending and reserved broth technique. His version stays faithful to street authenticity while demystifying the process for home cooks, preserving the drama of the serving well where hot broth pools dramatically amid crunchy toppings.

Ingredients

For the Meat:

• 1 lb stewing beef, cubed
• ¾ cup (180ml) ghee
• 2 large onions, thinly sliced
• 1 tbsp (14.8ml) grated garlic
• 1 tbsp (14.8ml) grated ginger
• 2 tsp (9.9ml) chili powder
• 2 tsp (9.9ml) ground turmeric
• 2 tsp (9.9ml) ground cinnamon
• 1 tbsp (14.8ml) ground cumin
• ½ tbsp (7.4ml) ground black pepper
• ½ tbsp (7.4ml) ground cloves
• 1 tsp (4.9ml) nutmeg
• 3 fresh bay leaves
• Salt to taste

For the Lentils and Grains:

• ½ cup (120ml) cracked wheat, soaked overnight and drained
• ½ cup (120ml) barley, soaked overnight and drained
• ½ cup (120ml) split chickpeas, soaked overnight and drained
• ½ cup (120ml) split mung beans, soaked overnight and drained
• ¼ cup (120ml) red lentils, soaked overnight and drained
• Salt to taste

For the Toppings:

• Store bought fried shallots
• 1 inch knob of ginger, peeled and cut into matchsticks
• ½ bunch cilantro, chopped
• 2 green Thai chilis, sliced
• 1 lime, cut into wedges

Method

Make the Meat:

• Heat the ghee in a large pot over medium high heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring regularly, until they start to turn brown, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, ginger, chili powder, turmeric, cinnamon, cumin, black pepper, cloves, nutmeg, salt, and stew beef and cook, stirring regularly, for 2 minutes more.  Add 10 cups of water and the bay leaves and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer, cover, and cook for 2 hours, or until the meat is falling apart.
• Remove the bay leaves, meat, and 2 cups of broth from the pot, leaving the rest of the broth behind. Shred the meat using 2 forks and set aside. Discard the bay leaves.
• Add the cracked wheat, barley, split chickpeas, split mung beans, and red lentils to the pot of broth and bring to a boil over high heat. Lower the heat to a simmer, cover, and cook for 1 hour, or until everything is very tender.
• Remove the pot from the heat and carefully immersion blend its contents. Add the shredded meat – if the mixture is not smooth, immersion blend more.
• Heat the pot again over medium heat, stirring regularly, until the Haleem comes to a simmer. The mixture should be thick, but not stodgy. If it is too thick, stir in up to 1 ½ cups of the reserved broth.
• Transfer the Haleem to a serving bowl and make an indent in the top with the back of a spoon. Pour ½ cup of the reserved broth over the Haleem, letting it settle in the indentation. Garnish with fried shallots, ginger matchsticks, chopped cilantro, and sliced chilis. Serve with lime wedges for squeezing.

Serving Suggestions

Hot Haleem anchors iftar feasts or winter dinners. Pairs with naan, paratha, lemon rice. Traditional alongside haleem puri or pathar ka gosht. Garnish bar customizes heat/freshness balance.

Leftovers thicken beautifully — thin with water over low heat. Freezes 3 months perfectly. Ideal communal serving from single massive bowl with multiple spoons.

Final Thoughts

This Haleem recipe from Global Street Eats and Chef Devan Rajkumar captures Pakistani street food at its most transcendent — velvety beef, lentils, and grains unified through hours of patient ghee-spiced simmering, crowned with shallot crunch, ginger bite, and cilantro freshness. More than porridge, Haleem represents Pakistan’s culinary soul: Mughal grandeur meets everyday resilience, where street carts become temporary temples and late-night queues form under Ramadan lanterns.

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