Persian Halim

There is a nutritious food in Iran called "Halim," which is sold in "Aash and Halim" shops. It is so popular in Iran that all Iranians have tried it at least once. Wheat Halim is the most famous type of Halim in the world, but Eggplant Halim and Lentil Halim are also popular.

Ash and Halim belong to the same family. Wheat Halim is white in color, and you can see crushed wheat grains in it.

An important point in cooking Halim is that it should be cooked in a way that it thickens; I have mentioned the secrets of thickening it in this post along with the Halim recipe. So, stay with me.

Is Halim a main dish?

Halim is a traditional food in Iran that is usually eaten for breakfast. It is also consumed for lunch and even as a main meal. It is commonly served during religious holidays and the month of Ramadan as a charitable offering among the public.

The ingredients needed for making Halim

Iranian Halim is a healthy and nutritious food that is made with just four main ingredients. To make Iranian Wheat Halim, you need the following ingredients:

• Wheat: shelled wheat is the best option for making Halim. Cracked wheat is the second choice, and wheat with skin is the last option.
• Meat: Lamb and beef are suitable for making Halim. Lamb meat is fattier and has a better taste, making it the ideal choice. Try to use boneless meat. The more meat you use, the thicker and more delicious the Halim will be.
• Cinnamon: Some cinnamon is added to the meat to enhance its flavor. Cinnamon is also used for decoration and adds a good flavor to the Halim.
• Salt: For taste.
• Boiling water: For cooking the meat and wheat.

How to make Iranian Halim?

Making Halim is not very difficult, don't judge it by its appearance. To make authentic Iranian Halim, follow these steps:

Step 1 - Prepare and soak the wheat

Finely chop the meat. Soak the shelled wheat. Some people say that wheat without skin should be soaked in warm water overnight. But I soaked it for about 4 hours. The more you soak the wheat, the faster it will cook.

During this time, change the water several times.

After soaking, remove the wheat from the water and drain it. Sometimes it becomes sticky.

Step 2 - Cooking the soaked wheat with meat

Put the wheat and meat in a pot. You can add some cinnamon.

Pour about two liters of boiling water over them and place them on low heat. Close the lid of the pot to cook the ingredients well.

Some people peel an onion, cut it in half from the middle, and add it to the meat to eliminate the meat odor.

My wheat soaked for one night and became very soft, so it cooked faster. When the water is boiling, remove the foam on top of the wheat with a spoon or ladle. This foam will make your homemade Halim dark in color.

Stir occasionally to prevent sticking. Wheat cooks faster than meat. Also, add salt.

After about an hour, the water will slowly evaporate and the transparent color of the water will disappear, indicating the white color of the Halim. This picture is after an hour and a half of cooking:

This step is almost complete after about two and a half hours of cooking.

Here the wheat is completely soft, and the meat is fully cooked.

If you’ve added onions, carefully remove them from the Halim. Turn off the heat and let the mixture cool down.

Step 3 - Mashing the mixture

In the third step, after the ingredients are cooked, you need to mash them. There are two ways to mash Halim mixture:

1. Manually
2. With a blender

Method of making Halim manually:

Separate the meat and wheat. In the manual method, the meat should be finely chopped or mashed with a meat masher. The wheat should also be separately mashed with a spoon until it becomes puree. You should mash the wheat for at least 20 minutes until it becomes completely smooth.

In traditional Halim, the meat is used as finely chopped. If you prefer, you can also use a manual or electric meat grinder to chop the meat finely and make the Halim creamier. The more you repeat this, the creamier the Halim becomes.

Method of making Halim with a blender:

To make Halim using a blender, do the following:

Pour the cooked mixture of meat and wheat into the blender after it has cooled down.

Blend it for about a minute until it becomes puree. If the puree is too thick, add about ½ cup of water.

Step 4 - Cooking the mashed Halim mixture again

Now put the puree back on the heat and stir regularly. Because it's thick, it may stick to the bottom. Do not leave it even for a moment.

After about 15 to 30 minutes, your homemade Halim is ready. Enjoy it!

Halim ingredients look like this after they are fully cooked:

Tips

• You can use two tablespoons of rice for more smoothness.
• Chop the meat finely for faster cooking.
• Do not let the Halim overcook, as it will become firmer after cooling.
• Lamb neck is a good option for Halim, it becomes more tender. You can also use veal and chicken.
• It takes about 2:45 hours to cook, and the Halim is ready. The cooking time for wheat Halim is about 3 to 6 hours, the slower and longer it is, the better the result.

What can be used instead of shelled wheat?

Wheat without skin is the best option for making Iranian Halim. Shelled wheat is available in all stores; however, if you can't find it, you can use wheat bran as a substitute. They don't differ in taste and flavor, only wheat bran cooks faster. Wheat bran, like wheat without skin, should be soaked several hours in advance.

You can also use whole wheat instead of shelled wheat. Whole wheat differs from shelled wheat. Their colors are slightly different, with whole wheat being more orange.

Wheat without skin becomes soft after soaking for an hour and cooks faster than whole wheat because its outer layer (skin) has been removed.

To make Halim with whole wheat, do the following:

Halim with whole wheat

After the whole wheat is well cooked, its skin is removed. At this stage, you can sift it through a sieve, use the wheat's kernel, and discard the skin.

Choosing the right meat

One of the important factors in making a delicious Halim is its meat. Lamb meat is undoubtedly a better choice; you can use lamb neck, sirloin, or lamb shoulder. The more meat you add, the tastier and more tender the Halim will be. However, if you are a vegetarian, you can also prepare Halim without meat.

Remember that if you use bone-in meat, the bones should be removed after cooking, and the meat should be mashed.

Spices and seasonings for Halim

Halim is a dish that doesn't require any specific spices. Some spices and seasonings that can make the taste of Halim more appealing include cinnamon sticks, cinnamon powder, sugar, oil, sesame, and vinegar.

The secret to a creamy Halim

If you've eaten Halim before, you probably know that a delicious Halim is described as creamy. In fact, the creamier the Halim, the more delicious it is. Creaminess in Halim is a secret that Halim shops know, but I will tell you the secret to creamy homemade Halim here:

1. Amount of meat

Halim becomes creamy when more meat is added to it. To cook a creamy whole wheat Halim, enough meat should be added, so be generous in this regard.

2. Type of meat

One of the most suitable meats for Halim is lamb shoulder. This meat can also double the creaminess of Halim.

3. Cooking the meat

Your Halim meat should be well cooked.

4. Mashing the meat

In the third step, when you mash the mixture, try to mash or finely chop the meats in a separate container so that it helps the Halim to become creamy. Using a mixer or meat grinder will make your job easier.

5. Mixing the wheat and meat

One of the most effective things in making Halim creamy is thoroughly mixing the ingredients. The more you repeat this, the creamier the Halim will be.

*Note that you should never grind the meat for Halim.

How to serve wheat Halim

The way to serve Halim depends on people's taste and preference. You can use salt or sugar to eat Halim. Sprinkle some salt on the Halim and serve it.

Some people serve Halim with sugar and Sarshir (Kaymak); it is very tasty and amazing, you just have to try it to believe me.

Conclusion

Halim is a traditional and ancient Iranian food that is very nutritious due to its wheat and meat content. In Halim shops, there is a machine that grinds and mixes the Halim while it is being heated, and this process is repeated until the wheat grains are crushed under the pressure, and the mixture becomes creamy.

Make this delicious and easy food that I have shared the technique of here. I tried to share all the methods of making Halim here with you. If you enjoyed this post, share your opinions with me here.