Chicken Haleem

Wash and soak wheat and grams(dals) separately for 4-5 hours or overnight.

Drain wheat and dals. Take a big saucepan.

Add 3-4 litre of water and bring to heat.

Add wheat and grams,cover and cook in medium low heat till gram and wheat become soft. It will take about an hour or 1+1/2 hour

Add 1 tsp of salt and 1 tbsp of Turmeric powder. Mix well. Cover and cook now in very low flame for another hour.

In the meantime prepare the chicken.

Heat oil in a pan. Add bay leaves and chopped onion and saute till light golden brown.

Add ginger-garlic paste and stir for few seconds.

Add chopped tomatoes and chopped green chillies. Cook for 3-4 minutes.

Now add the boneless chicken pieces and saute for 3-4 minutes.

Add salt and spices (red chilli powder, turmeric powder,coriander powder, fennel powder, garam masala powder).

Add yoghurt and fry in medium heat till oil separates.

Add chicken stalk, give it a mix. Cover and cook for about 10 minutes in medium heat.

Now the very important part of haleem recipe starts.

Take a flat wooden ladle, uncover the chicken curry and try to press the chicken pieces, mash them & whisk.

Do the process patiently so that the chicken pieces minced nicely. Don't switch off the flame. Keep in very low flame.

You can do this process in food processor also. But if you do with a ladle the haleem will taste better. So give enough time to make authentic haleem.

Now check the gram-wheat mixture that is cooking in another stove.

Also whisk and mash dal and wheat with the ladle for about 15 minutes.

The mixture should be silky smooth in consistency.

Next add the prepared minced chicken to the dal mixture.

Mix and whisk again with the ladle in medium heat for about 10-15 minutes.

Keep in very low flame and make fried onion now.

For fried onion deep fry the sliced onions till golden brown and crisp.

Keep some fried onion for garnishing and rest mix with the haleem. Be generous in adding fried onion.

Add chopped coriander-mint leaves and mix.

Check the seasoning and remove from heat.

Take out in a big serving bowl or small individual bowls. Garnish with fried onions, mint leaves and serve. You can also garnish with some julienne ginger.