Chicken Haleem

Ingredients

• 350g (2 cups) chana dal
• 170g (1 cup) masoor dal
• 85g (½ cup) moong dal
• 85g (½ cup) white urad dal
• 180g (1 cup) cracked wheat
• Salt to taste
• FOR THE HALEEM
• 250ml (1 cup) ghee
• 2 large brown onions, thinly sliced
• 2 generous tbsp garlic and ginger paste
• 1 tsp ground turmeric
• 1kg (2 ¼ lbs) chicken thighs, on the bone and skin removed
• 1 tsp salt
• FOR THE HALEEM MASALA
• 1 ½ tbsp black peppercorns
• 4 black cardamoms, seeds only
• 4 green cardamoms, seeds only
• 1 ½ tbsp cumin seeds
• 1 tbsp coriander seeds
• 5 cloves
• ¼ nutmeg or ½ tsp ground nutmeg
• 1 blade mace or ½ tsp ground mace
• 1 tsp fennel seeds
• 2.5cm (1 inch) cinnamon stick
• 1 star anise
• 1 – 2 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder (optional)
• 250ml (1 cup) water
• FOR THE TARKA
• 125ml (1/2 cup) ghee
• 5 tbsp julienned ginger
• 2 – 6 green finger chillies, thinly sliced

Steps

1. Wash and soak the dals and wheat for at least 3 hours or overnight. The longer you soak these ingredients, the faster your haleem will cook to perfection. Once soaked, pour the lentils and wheat into a large saucepan and cover with about 1.5L (6 cups) water.
2. Bring to a simmer over a medium high heat, skimming off any foam that floats to the top. Lower the cooking heat to medium and continue cooking for about two hours or until you can easily crush all the lentils and wheat between two fingers. You might need to add a little more water as this cooks and be careful not to let the dal burn to the bottom.
3. Once cooked, add about 500ml (2 cups) water or chicken stock and simmer gently while you prepare the chicken. You want this blend to look creamy smooth like pea soup. Heat the ghee for the chicken in a large pan or wok over medium high heat.
4. When visibly hot, add the sliced onions and fry for about 8 minutes or until golden brown. Transfer the fried onions to a paper towel to soak up any excess ghee.
5. Add the chicken and fry, stirring regularly for about 15 minutes or until the meat is beginning to fall off the bone. Start breaking it apart with a wooden spoon or spatula until all the meat is off the bones. Remove all of the bones and discard. Continue breaking the meat apart and shredding it until there are no big pieces.
6. Pour this into the pot with the lentils and wheat can simmer on a low to medium heat while you prepare the haleem masala. Although toasting the spices is not essential, it will give you a richer flavour. If roasting, pour all of the whole spices into a frying pan and toast over a medium heat until warm to the touch and fragrant but not yet smoking.
7. Transfer to a plate to cool some and then grind to a fine powder. Stir in the Kashmiri chilli powder and then mix with the water. Stir to combine and then pour this into the simmering pot of chicken, lentils and wheat.
8. Continue cooking the Haleem until it is creamy smooth and somewhat gooey. It should literally ooze off your spoon. Season with salt to taste. I usually add about 2 tbsp salt but how much is down to your personal taste preferences.
9. To finish, heat the ghee for the tarka in a small pan. When bubbly hot, stir in the julienned ginger and chillies and fry for a couple of minutes, until the ginger is about one tone darker in colour.
10. Pour about half of this over the haleem. The remaining tarka can be added to taste at the table. Serve with the lime wedges which can be squeezed over the haleem to taste.