Beef Haleem

The most comforting Beef Haleem that is made with lentils, grains, and beef that are cooked to perfection in traditional spices. This is the perfect Eid meal. It can be served any time of the year, however.

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Beef Haleem Recipe

Beef Haleem – one of the best Pakistani foods, in my humble opinion. Haleem just bursts in your mouth with all sorts of flavour. It is a recipe that takes some effort, and a little patience, but boy is it totally worth every minute. This is a recipe that I make multiple times a year, not just on the special days. It’s that good!

If you’re not familiar with haleem, let me help you out. Haleem is a mouthwatering dish that is made with different types of lentils, wheat, pearl barley, which is mixed with meat, such as beef, lamb, or chicken. These ingredients are cooked down with the most flavourful spices, for a good amount of time. The flavours really have all the time to develop and deepen, which is why haleem is INSANELY good! My mouth is watering just talking about!

Not only is this Pakistani haleem recipe so yummy, but it is really good for you as well. It is nourishing and filling. It is made with lentils, which is a good source of protein, along with the meat that’s in the haleem. Pearl barley is high in fiber and nutrients, as well! So yes, this haleem recipe is tasty and healthy – that’s a win!

Haleem, with whatever meat you choose, is enjoyed all times of the year, but makes really special food for Eid, in my books. I must admit, though, I love breaking my fast with a warm bowl of haleem, sometimes. Haleem is also good on other occasions, like weddings, gatherings, or just whenever you feel like it!

Haleem Recipe Ingredients

Although this beef haleem recipe requires simple ingredients, you may need to take a trip to your local international grocery store! Here is what you will need.

Lentils/wheat/barley: these together make up half of the haleem mixture. It is also very customizable, and you can use whatever you have on hand or whatever you prefer. This recipe uses red lentils, yellow split peas, pearl barley, and cracked wheat. Other options are oats and yellow lentils.

Vegetable oil: used to cook the beef and spices, but you can use any other neutral-tasting oil.

Onions/ginger paste/garlic paste: these aromatics add authentic and traditional flavour to the beef haleem.

Whole spices: adds the mouthwatering flavour to the haleem. These whole spices include cloves, green cardamom, bay leaves, and cinnamon.

Beef: beef is the other half of the haleem mixture. This recipe is for beef haleem, but you can also make chicken haleem or lamb haleem. All equally delicious!

Powdered spices: adds most of the flavour to the haleem. Spices include ground cumin, coriander powder, turmeric, garam masala, ground nutmeg, salt, and black pepper.

Garnishes/toppings: toppings make the haleem even better. They help to balance out the rich flavours of the haleem. Try sliced ginger, lemon juice, or fried onions.

How to Make Beef Haleem Recipe

Haleem does take some time and patience, but following these simple instructions will make it a breeze.

Making beef haleem starts the night before you plan on making it! Place the red lentils, yellow split peas, pearl barley, and cracked wheat into a medium sized bowl and rinse a few times under running water. Leave the lentils/wheat/barley in the bowl and fill with warm water until everything is covered . Cover with a plate or plastic wrap and leave at room temperature until ready to use the next day. The photo below shows how it looks after they’ve been soaked overnight.

When you are ready to make the beef haleem, drain all the water from the lentils/wheat mixture. Place the lentils into a heavy bottom pot along with 6 cups of hot water. Mix well and bring to a boil over medium high heat. Once boiling, reduce to a simmer, cover, and let cook until everything is soft and can be easily smushed between fingers. This can take anywhere from 1.5-2 hrs. Remember to stir frequently, as the lentils and wheat can easily stick to the bottom and burn.

You will also need to remove the scum from the top of the water every now and then and discard. While this is cooking, start on the beef.

Heat a heavy bottom pot over medium high heat. Add the oil and allow to heat up. To the hot oil, add the onions and begin cooking until they are soft and golden. This can take about 5-9 minutes.

Add the ginger paste, garlic paste, cloves, green cardamom, bay leaves, and cinnamon piece. Mix well and cook for 1-2 minutes.

Add the beef and cook until the beef has developed colour all around. Be sure to mix well. This will take a few minutes.

Once it has developed colour, add the salt, black pepper, ground cumin, coriander powder, garam masala, turmeric, chili powder, and ground nutmeg. Mix well. If you find that the mixture is too dry to mix, add a splash of water to loosen it up. Cook for a few more minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add 4 cups of hot water, mix well, and allow to come to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to a simmer, cover, and cook until the beef is soft and tender. This will take anywhere from 45 mins to 2 hrs. Check on the beef occasionally and stir. If the water is drying out, you can add more, as needed.

Once the beef has been cooked until soft and is easy to shred, remove the beef pieces onto a plate. Fish out as many whole spices as you can from the pot of gravy that the beef was cooking in and discard the spices. Shred the beef using 2 forks and set aside for now.

The lentils and wheat mixture should be finished cooking around this time. Use an immersion blender to blend the lentil mixture until smooth.

Add the beef back into the pot of gravy. Add the blended lentils into the beef pot as well. Mix everything together really well so that everything is incorporated thoroughly. If you find the haleem is too thick, add some water to thin it out to your preference. Taste and adjust for salt. You can also adjust the other spices to your preference. Allow this mixture to cook over medium low heat, so that all the ingredients come together well. Serve with your choice of garnish.

Tips and Tricks for Haleem

Most haleem recipes blend the lentil mixture until completely smooth. If you prefer some texture, you can blend less to leave some of the grains and lentils whole. I personally like to keep some texture in the haleem.
Serving haleem immediately is best because the consistency is perfect. If you are not serving right away, you may need to thin it out with water when you are ready to serve and reheat over the stove.
You can customize the grains and lentils to whatever you have on hand or what you prefer. Other options include basmati rice, black dal, split chickpeas, and split pigeon peas.
The toppings really add to the overall enjoyment of the beef haleem and help balance out all of the beautiful flavours. Some topping ideas include fried onions, chopping cilantro, sliced green chilies, julienned ginger, lemon/lime juice, chaat masala, and chopped mint.
You can make your own fried onions at home, easily! Peel and thinly slice the onion. Heat a pot of oil over medium high heat. The oil should be enough to cover the onions. Fry the onions for 5-7 minutes, stirring frequently. Then reduce heat to medium and continue to stir and cook until the onions are perfectly golden. Remove from the oil with a slotted spoon and place on paper towel to drain excess oil. Let cool and use as a topping for the beef haleem.

Frequently Asked Questions

What do you serve beef haleem with?

Haleem can be a standalone dish, but many people eat it with naan or rice.

What cut of beef should I use for beef haleem?

You can use any type of cut for haleem, just cook it until it is tender and easy to shred. I’ve even tried veal with this haleem recipe and it is just as delicious!

Looking for more comforting recipes? Try these recipes: Red Lentil and Carrot Soup, Beef and Barley Soup, Marry Me Chicken Meatballs, Trinidad Corn Soup, Sawine

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Prep Time 12 hrs Cook Time 130 mins Total Time 14 hrs 10 mins Servings: 6

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Author: Sabrina Cuisine: Pakistani Recipe Keys: Spicy

Description

Lentils, grains, and beef, cooked together in traditional spices and served warm in a bowl.

Instructions

Start by soaking the lentils/wheat overnight. Place the red lentils, yellow split peas, pearl barley, and cracked wheat in a medium sized bowl. Rinse the lentils/wheat really well under running water.
Once the lentils are rinsed thoroughly, fill the bowl with warm water about 2 inches over the level of the lentils. Cover with a plate and leave at room temperature overnight, until ready to use.
When ready to make beef haleem the next day, start by cooking the lentils. Drain the water from the soaked lentils. Add the soaked lentils/wheat/barley to a heavy bottom pot along with the 6 cups of hot water. Mix and bring to a boil.
Once boiling, reduce heat to medium low, cover, and cook for 1.5-2 hrs, stirring occasionally, to prevent the lentils from sticking to the bottom. You may need to add more water during the cook time if you find that there isn't enough water to cook the lentils. Once done, the lentils/wheat/barley should be really soft and easily smushed between your fingers.
While the lentils are cooking, start cooking the beef. Heat a large, heavy bottom pot over medium high heat. Once hot, add the oil and allow to heat up. Add the sliced onions and fry until soft and golden, about 5-7 minutes.
Add the ginger paste, garlic paste, cloves, green cardamom, bay leaves, and cinnamon piece. Mix and cook for about 1-2 minutes.
Add the beef and mix everything together. Cook for a few minutes, until the beef develops colour all around.
To the beef, add the salt, black pepper, ground cumin, coriander powder, garam masala, turmeric, chili powder, and ground nutmeg. Mix everything together really well. If you find it is too dry to mix, you can add a splash of water to loosen things up. Cook for a few more minutes, stirring well.
Add the 4 cups of water, stir, and allow to come up to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook until the beef is very tender. This can take anywhere from 45 mins to 2 hrs, depending on the cut of beef you use. So keep checking on the beef occasionally, adding more water if needed, until tender.
Once beef is tender, remove the pieces and place on a plate. Fish out as many of the whole spices as possible from the pot and discard the spices. Keep the gravy in the pot.
Shred the beef on the plate using two forks.
The lentils/wheat mixture should be soft at this time. Use an immersion blender to blend the lentil mixture until smooth.
Return the shredded beef to the pot of gravy. Add the blended lentils/wheat to the pot with the beef. Mix very well until the beef/lentils/wheat/barley are all incorporated together completely.
At this point, if it is too thick, you can add some hot water to thin it out to your preference. Taste and adjust the salt. I added about 1/2 tsp more. You can also adjust the other spices at this point, if you feel something is missing.
Let this cook over medium low heat for about 10 minutes to allow the ingredients to come together well. If you have more patience, you can let this cook even longer over low heat for the ingredients to really come together.
Serve immediately with your choice of toppings: fried onions, lemon/lime wedges, chopped cilantro, julienned ginger, sliced green chilies.

Equipment

Immersion Blender
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Keywords: beef haleem, haleem masala, pakistani haleem, easy haleem recipe, best haleem recipe, eid special food, food ideas for eid

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Sabrina

Food Blogger

Hi, I'm Sabrina, a Trinidadian-Canadian food blogger, living in Toronto. My goal is to share scrumptious recipes that I think you'll love just as much as I do. I'm so happy you're here!

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