Today we head to Pakistan — a country where spices work magic and every dish tells a story. We'll make two iconic recipes the whole nation takes pride in.
🍲 Haleem
A thick, creamy stew of meat and wheat, slow-cooked until the ingredients completely dissolve. The texture resembles a dense porridge, the flavor — rich, spicy, with nutty notes.
Ingredients:
• Beef (boneless) — 500 g
• Cracked wheat (coarse bulgur) — 200 g
• Red lentils — 100 g
• Onions — 3 medium
• Fresh ginger — 4 cm piece
• Garlic — 6 cloves
• Plain yogurt — 150 g
• Turmeric — 1 tsp
• Garam masala — 2 tsp
• Ground coriander — 1 tsp
• Ground red chili pepper — 1 tsp
• Ghee (clarified butter) or butter — 100 g
• Salt — to taste
• Water — 2 liters
• Fresh cilantro — 1 bunch for serving
• Lemon — 1 for serving
• Fried onions — for garnish
Preparation:
Step 1: Preparing the meat and grains
Cut the beef into 3×3 cm cubes. Rinse the wheat and lentils under cold water 3-4 times, until the water runs clear. Soak them together in cold water for 30 minutes. Doneness cue: the grains have swollen and increased in volume.
Step 2: Initial slow-cooking
In a heavy-bottomed pot of at least 4 liters, combine the meat, rinsed wheat and lentils, 1 finely chopped onion, turmeric, and 1.5 liters of water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to the lowest setting. Simmer covered for 2.5-3 hours, stirring occasionally and adding water if needed. Doneness cue: the meat falls apart completely when pressed with a spoon, the wheat has dissolved into the mass.
Step 3: Turning it into a paste
Remove the pot from the heat. Using a potato masher or an immersion blender, turn the entire mass into a smooth, thick paste. The process will take 10-15 minutes of active mashing. Doneness cue: there should be no visible pieces of meat or grains left, the consistency resembles thick oatmeal.
Step 4: Making the tadka (aromatic tempering)
Cut the remaining 2 onions into thin half-rings (2-3 mm thick). In a separate skillet, heat 80 g of ghee over medium heat. Fry the onions for 12-15 minutes, stirring constantly. Grind the ginger and garlic into a paste (with a blender or grater). When the onions turn golden-brown, add the ginger-garlic paste and fry for 2 minutes. Add the garam masala, coriander, and chili, and fry for another 1 minute. Doneness cue: the spices release an intense aroma, the oil has taken on a reddish tint.
Step 5: Combining and final slow-cooking
Pour the tadka into the pot with the meat paste, add the yogurt, salt, and the remaining 500 ml of water. Stir until smooth. Return to low heat and simmer for another 45-60 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes. The mass should bubble slowly. Doneness cue: the haleem has thickened to the consistency of a thin purée, droplets of oil have appeared on the surface, the color has become a deep brown.
Step 6: Preparing the garnish
Heat the remaining oil (20 g) in a small skillet and fry thinly sliced onion until crisp (7-10 minutes). Finely chop the cilantro. Cut the lemon into wedges.
Step 7: Serving
Ladle the haleem into deep bowls. Generously top with fried onions, fresh cilantro, and a lemon wedge. Serve with hot naan or flatbreads. Perfect consistency cue: a spoon stands upright in the haleem, but the dish stirs easily.
💡 Fact: Haleem is a traditional dish for the month of Ramadan in Pakistan. Cooking it takes a whole day, and often entire neighborhoods gather together to cook haleem in huge cauldrons for the whole community. In 2016, Hyderabadi haleem was granted 'Geographical Indication' status — a protected geographical indication.
🍢 Seekh Kebab
Juicy meat patties on skewers with a crisp crust on the outside and a tender texture inside. The aroma of smoke and spices makes them irresistible, and their shape resembles elongated cigars.
Ingredients:
• Ground beef (15-20% fat) — 600 g
• Onion — 1 large
• Fresh cilantro — 1 large bunch (50 g)
• Fresh mint — 15 g leaves
• Green chili peppers — 2
• Fresh ginger — 3 cm piece
• Garlic — 4 cloves
• Egg — 1
• Chickpea flour (besan) — 3 tbsp
• Ground coriander — 2 tsp
• Ground cumin — 1 tsp
• Garam masala — 1 tsp
• Red chili pepper — 0.5 tsp
• Black pepper — 0.5 tsp
• Salt — 1.5 tsp
• Vegetable oil — for brushing
• Wooden skewers — 8-10 pcs
For serving:
• Plain yogurt — 200 g
• Cucumber — 1
• Mint — a few sprigs
• Lemon — 1
• Red onion — 1
Preparation:
Step 1: Preparing the aromatic base
Cut the onion into large chunks, place in a blender jar together with the cilantro (stems and leaves), mint, green chilies (remove the seeds for less heat), ginger, and garlic. Blend into a smooth paste without adding water. The process will take 2-3 minutes. Doneness cue: the mixture has turned into a fine green paste with no large pieces.
Step 2: Making the kebab mixture
Transfer the ground meat to a large bowl. Add the green paste, all the dry spices (coriander, cumin, garam masala, chili, black pepper), salt, egg, and chickpea flour. Knead vigorously by hand for 8-10 minutes, slapping the meat against the sides of the bowl every 2 minutes. This is critically important! Doneness cue: the meat has become sticky and viscous, holds its shape, and doesn't fall apart when squeezed in your palm.
Step 3: Chilling
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour, ideally 2-3. The cold will firm up the structure and the kebabs will hold better on the skewers. Doneness cue: the meat has chilled to 4-6°C and become firmer.
Step 4: Shaping on skewers
Soak the wooden skewers in water for 30 minutes (so they don't burn). Wet your hands with cold water. Take a portion of meat about the size of a large chicken egg (about 70-80 g). Thread it onto a skewer and shape into an elongated kebab 12-15 cm long and 3-4 cm thick, spreading it evenly along the skewer. Keep wetting your hands — this is the key to a smooth surface. Doneness cue: the kebab clings tightly to the skewer, the surface is smooth, the shape resembles an elongated cigar with pointed ends.
Step 5: Grilling in the grill or oven
Preheat the grill to 200-220°C (medium-high heat) or the oven to 220°C with the top broiler on. Brush the kebabs with a thin layer of vegetable oil. Place on the grill grate or on an oven tray. Grill for 12-15 minutes, turning every 3-4 minutes for even cooking on all sides. Doneness cue: the surface is covered with a golden-brown crust with dark charred spots, clear juices run when pressed, the internal temperature has reached 70°C.
Step 6: Making the raita (yogurt sauce)
Grate the cucumber on a coarse grater and lightly squeeze out the excess liquid. Mix with the yogurt, add a pinch of salt, ground cumin (0.5 tsp), and finely chopped mint. Cut the red onion into thin rings, soak in cold water with a pinch of salt for 10 minutes (to remove bitterness), then drain.
Step 7: Serving
Remove the kebabs from the heat and let them rest for 2-3 minutes. Arrange on a platter, sprinkle with red onion rings, and drizzle with freshly squeezed lemon juice. Serve with raita, fresh naan flatbreads, green chutney, and a tomato and cucumber salad. Perfect doneness cue: the kebab is juicy inside, with a crisp crust outside, and slides easily off the skewer.
💡 Fact: The name 'Seekh Kebab' has nothing to do with the Sikh religion. The word 'seekh' comes from the Persian 'seekh' — meaning 'skewer' or 'spit'. This dish came to Pakistan during the Mughal era and became a symbol of Lahore street food, where it is cooked over open coals right in front of customers.