We all learn. A couple years ago, I said about my slow cooker haleem: Enter your email below and get it sent straight to your inbox. Plus, get recipes & tips every week! “Haleem, by nature, isn’t a 30-minute one-pot meal-with-ingredients-you-probably-have-on-hand. A good haleem takes time, a few pans, and most likely a trip to the nearest Indian/Pakistani/Middle-Eastern grocery store.” Yet here I am. 2 years years later. Older, wiser, a mom of 2, a little less time and will in the kitchen. And I’ve created a 30-minute one-pot haleem recipe. If you cook Pakistani food often, you probably have the ingredients on hand too.
What is Haleem?
Haleem (also called daleem, halim, etc.) is a Pakistani, Indian and/or Hyderabadi thick stew made with various grains, lentils (dal/daal), and meat. Haleem is:
nourishing rich in nutrients healthy comforting & chatpati (hot/sour/spicy/tangy)
Traditionally, each component is cooked separately, then mixed together and slow-cooked to achieve the thick and luscious texture. The resulting interwoven or ‘laced’ consistency is Haleem’s distinguishing feature. Like Nihari, haleem is a celebratory, stand-alone dish that’s often served on special occasions.
What does Haleem taste like?
Haleem tastes like a rich porridge of legumes, meat, and grains. Onions, spices, and aromatics give it layers of complexity and nuance. The garnishing such as ginger, cilantro, and green chili peppers provides textural interest. Haleem a substantial meal in itself that feels healthy, nourishing, and incredibly satisfying.
Haleem Ingredients
While this recipe calls for several ingredients, all of them are readily available at most Indian and Pakistani grocery stores. Besides the lentils and grains shown above, you’ll need meat (I use beef), onions, tomatoes, etc. and some traditional whole and ground spices.
Kitchen tools to make Haleem Easy:
An Instant Pot A food processor An Immersion Blender – optional but recommended A mortar and pestle or spice grinder if you’re making your own haleem masala
How to make Haleem in the Instant Pot
Here’s the plain and simple method broken down into 3 steps to give you an idea of how to make haleem in the Instant Pot. (If you’re new to the Instant Pot or just want to learn how to use it for Indian & Pakistani cooking, please check out my guide on How To Use The Instant Pot For Indian And Pakistani Cooking. For more Instant Pot recipes, I also have a collection of 15+ Easy Pakistani Instant Pot Recipes)
How to make Haleem on the Stovetop
If you’re making haleem on the stovetop, I’d suggest using my slow cooker haleem as a guide because the majority of it is done over the stovetop. I do plan on testing this on the stovetop and will update it when I do.
Haleem Masala Powder or Spice Mix
I understand not everyone has a range of exotic spices in their spice drawer, so I’ve developed this recipe to work with both store-bought and homemade haleem masala. To make your own Haleem masala, combine the following ingredients in a spice grinder and process until smooth. You can also crush with a mortar and pestle. Makes ~1 tbsp. (Double if making double batch.)
1 1/2 tsp coriander seeds 1/2 tsp cumin seeds 1/4-inch small piece mace (javitri) 1/2 small or 2-3 petals star anise (baadiyan) 1/4 tsp black peppercorns 1/8 tsp nigella seeds (kalonji) 1/8 tsp carom seeds (ajwain) generous pinch nutmeg powder 1/8 tsp cane sugar
P.S. Don’t worry if you don’t have all of the spices. Just use whichever you have on hand & it’ll still turn out great!
What cut of beef to use in Haleem
For haleem, you can use any pre-cut beef stew meat such as chuck, round, shank, or sirloin. You want big chunks, which will have long strands that add to the lacy texture. If you prefer to use bone-in beef or other meat, just remove the meat from the bones after cooking, and then proceed with the recipe.
How to make Haleem with Chicken or Mutton
Though I haven’t made haleem with chicken or mutton (goat/lamb) myself, they are popular haleem meat choices and can be used in this recipe in place of the beef. Lamb and goat meat should be fine to pressure cook for the same amount of time. If you’re using chicken, I’d suggest reducing the pressure cook time to 30 minutes.
How long does it take to make Haleem in the Instant Pot
The good thing about this haleem recipe is that it accounts for preparing the next set of ingredients while you’re doing the cooking. That said, it requires a good 2+ hours of total cook time. This includes pressure initial sauté, pressure build-up, pressure cooking, and final sauté.
Final Tips to make Haleem
Haleem serving suggestions
Last year, I bought haleem at a food cart and was rummaging through the bag for naan when my friend laughed and said “Oh, you’re looking for naan? I think that’s a Punjabi thing”. Though I grew up eating it with naan (and think it should be mandatory alongside haleem), I know it’s eaten alone with a spoon in many regions. Haleem is best served with plenty of garnishing on the side.
How to Freeze Haleem
Haleem freezes beautifully, and you can store it for up to 3 months. I suggest reheating it with a bit of water over the stovetop and adding a final tadka.
More Instant Pot Recipes
Easy Instant Pot Pakistani Beef Curry (Stew) Instant Pot Butter Chicken (Easy & Authentic) Chana Pulao (Chickpea Pilaf) – 20 min prep! Instant Pot Red Lentil Daal Easy Shami Kebab (Instant Pot and Stovetop)
