Haleem

Method

1. Put the wheat, barley, chana dal, urad dal, red lentils and rice in a sieve and rinse until the water runs clear. Tip into a bowl, cover with plenty of cold water and soak for at least 4 h, ideally overnight; well-soaked grains are what break down into a smooth porridge later.

   Add in this stepWhole wheat berries or coarse bulgur 60 gPearl barley 20 gChana dal (split chickpeas) 20 gUrad dal (split black gram) 10 gRed lentils (masoor dal) 20 gBasmati rice 10 g

2. Drain the grains and put them in a 20 cm pot with the grain water, half the turmeric and about a third of the salt. Bring to the boil on high heat, skim off the foam, then turn down to low heat, partly cover and simmer for 1 h 20 min. Stir every 10 minutes, scraping the bottom, and add a splash of hot water if it gets thick and starts to stick. It is ready when the wheat and lentils crush completely between your fingers.

   Add in this stepWater (for the grains) 800 mlGround turmeric ¼ tspSalt 0.4 tsp

   high heat→low heat

3. While the grains cook, slice the onions thinly. Heat the oil in a 22 cm frying pan or wide pot on medium heat and fry the onions for 14 min, stirring often, until deep golden brown. Watch closely at the end: they go from brown to burnt in under a minute. Lift about two-thirds onto kitchen paper for the garnish (they crisp as they cool) and leave the rest in the pan with the oil.

   Add in this stepVegetable oil 75 mlOnions 1½

   medium heat

4. Cut the beef into 3 cm cubes. Put the same pan on medium-high heat, add the crushed garlic and two-thirds of the grated ginger and stir for 30 seconds. Add the beef, chilli powder, the rest of the turmeric, the coriander and the rest of the salt, and sear for 8 min, turning, until browned all over. Stir in the yogurt and cook for 2 more minutes, until the oil starts to separate at the edges.

   Add in this stepGarlic cloves 5Fresh ginger 13 gBoneless beef shin or chuck 240 gRed chilli powder 1 tspGround turmeric ¼ tspGround coriander 1 tspSalt 0.9 tspPlain yogurt 60 g

   medium-high heat

5. Pour in the meat water, bring to a simmer, cover and cook on low heat for 1 h 15 min, until the beef falls apart when pressed with a fork. If the sauce runs low, add a little hot water so there is always some liquid around the meat.

   Add in this stepWater (for the meat) 500 ml

   low heat

6. Shred the beef finely with two forks. Mash the grains with a potato masher or a few short pulses of a stick blender (do not blitz them to a paste). Stir the meat and all its sauce into the grains with the garam masala and cook on low heat for 25 min, beating hard with a wooden spoon every few minutes, until the meat fibres melt into a thick, slightly stretchy porridge. If it is stiffer than thick oatmeal, loosen it with hot water, then taste for salt.

   Add in this stepGaram masala 1 tsp

   low heat

7. Ladle into warm bowls and top with the fried onions, the rest of the ginger cut into fine matchsticks, chopped mint and coriander, and sliced green chillies. Serve with lemon wedges to squeeze over just before eating.

   Add in this stepFresh ginger 5.4 gFresh mint leaves 5 gFresh coriander (cilantro) 5 gHot green chillies 1Lemon 1