Chicken Haleem

Haleem is a very famous South Asian cuisine... Although this dish varies from region to region but it always include wheat, barley, lentils and meat.... This dish is slow cooked for seven to eight hours, which result in paste like consistency, blending the flavors of spices..A variation of haleem called Khichra... 

You can use beef, mutton for haleem but this time I've used chicken... and for spice mix i used famous special Shan masala.... with my own spices and method

you can found easily here in Chicago...so more info about Shan masala herez the link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shan_Food_Industries

Ingredients i used:

Chicken 2.2 lbs(1 kg) with bones (i used whole chicken)

Shan haleem masala - 1 packet

wheat 1/2 cup

barley 1/2 cup

Split yellow peas (channay ki daal) 1/2 cup

split mung 1/2 cup

skinless urd 1/2 cup

Orange lentil (masoor daal)

oil 1/2 cup

For garnishing: 

fried onion

chopped green chili 

mint leaves chopped

chat masala

lemon juice

Mix all grains and lentils in a bowl, wash them thoroughly and soak them for minimum 2 hours or more or may be overnight

Now, chicken... if possible ask your butcher to give u whole chicken and then de-bone it... and bring that bones with you too.. and used them for your haleem

another option..which i used... i just took the whole chicken with bones and used it directly and then what i do further is as follows...

Now, Heat oil...add chicken cook till chicken changes it color...

Add the Shan haleem mix and mix..

Now, add soaked and drained grains and pulses give it a stir...

And add water... and mix.... Now cover and cook on low heat until the meat is completely tender (40 minutes)...stir occasionally...

Now, technical part... take the chicken pieces out form the pot put it in any bowl... and let it cool down for 10 minutes (when u easily touch the pieces) 

De-bone the chicken and add in the gravy again...

if you just added the bones, bring the bones out of the gravy

cover and cook for 1-2 hrs more...

Blend the mixture to a coarse paste with the wooden spoon ... (i suggest not to use blender... or if you do so do not grind it to fine paste)

Dish out and garnish with fried onion, green chilies, mint leaves, lemon juice and Chat masala... and enjoy