Chicken Haleem - Hyderabadi Style)

 

          Chicken Haleem is a delicious one-pot meal that has its origin in Hyderabad. This popular dish is usually had during the holy month of Ramzan. It is traditionally prepared with mutton, But I tried the easier method with chicken in a pressure cooker. It is typically cooked on an open flame. It is quite a rich dish with loads of dry fruits and ghee. But it is equally nutritious and wholesome as it contains broken wheat, oats and various types of lentils.

          It also contains chicken which is a lean meat and is better than any red meat. Chicken has proteins and antioxidants that improves our immune system. Mixed lentils and oats have loads of proteins, fibre, has less cholesterol and is heart healthy. This delicacy is best relished with a dash of lime and garnished with fried onions, coriander leaves and roasted cashews. 

Ingredients - 

• 400 gms. boneless chicken, cut into small pieces 
• 1 tbsp. ginger-garlic paste
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 3/4 cup yoghurt 
• 1/3 cup cracked wheat 
• 2 tbsp. oats
• 2 tbsp. each of masoor, split moong, urad and chana dal 
• 2 tbsp. each cashew, almonds & pistachios
• 3-4 tbsp. ghee
• 1-2 green chilies, slit
• 3 onions, sliced + 1 cup oil to deep fry
• 1 tsp. rose essence 
• few drops of kewra essence
• Roasted cashews, coriander leaves, lemon wedges, fried onions & mint leaves to garnish

Garam Masala - 

• 1" cinnamon sticks
• 10-15 whole peppercorns
• 4 green cardamoms
• 6 cloves
• 1 mace
• small piece nutmeg
• 5 whole red chilies
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tsp. shahjeera
• 1/2 tsp. kebab chini
• 2 tbsp. dry rose petals 

          Soak all the lentils, dry fruits and wheat overnight. Heat oil and deep fry the onion till golden brown and crisp. Drain and keep aside. 

         Garam masala - Dry roast all the mentioned ingredients for a few seconds and set aside to cool. Then grind into a fine powder and keep aside. 

          Marinate the chicken with ginger-garlic paste, yoghurt, salt to taste, rose water, kewra essence, turmeric powder and the prepared garam masala powder for an hour. 

          Heat ghee in a pressure cooker and sauté the marinated chicken till the oil separates. 

          Add the soaked lentils, wheat, almonds, 3/4 of the fried onions and 4-5 cups of water. 

          Pressure  cook for 20-25 minutes on a very low flame after the first whistle. After the pressure is released, continue simmering and mashing with a potato masher.

          Serve hot with some lemon wedges, fried onions, roasted cashew and coriander leaves.