Reader recipe: Rich mutton stew

Called Haleem in India, this is originally an Arabic dish, brought to India centuries ago by the Mughal emperors. This is a traditional and royal dish prepared during Ramadan or Eid festival. Delicious and nutritious, haleem is cooked the whole day and ready to be served at sunset when the fast is broken.

Ingredients

1 ½ kgs	Butterflied boneless leg of lamb, chopped into pieces (Main)
150 g	Mung dhal
50 g	Brown lentils
100 g	Bulghur wheat
500 g	Ghee
10 pieces	Cloves
4 pieces	Bay leaves, Indian Bay leaf
1 g	Saffron
10 g	Green chillies, paste
10 g	Turmeric powder
5 g	Mace
10 g	Green cardamom
50 g	Garlic paste
50 g	Ginger paste
150 g	Onions, fried till golden brown
3 ½ Ltr	Stock, Lamb stock
¼ tsp	Jaggery, grated

Directions

1. Wash and soak all the lentils and bulger wheat together for 2 hours. Take a heavy bottom deep pan and add ghee to temper it with whole spices - cloves, bay leaf and green cardamom. When the spices start crackling, add the grated ginger and garlic paste till the color turns brown.Turn down the heat to low.Add the lamb along with all the powdered spices saffron, green chilli paste, turmeric powder and cook until it is half done(about 1 and a half hours) and then add fried onions.
2. Drain the water from the lentils and add it to the lamb along with lamb stock. Add salt and jaggery at this stage. Let it cook until lamb gets tender and mixes with the lentils and becomes thick in consistency.Stir the Haleem in between and cook for about 2 hours or till it's all fully cooked. You can serve this like a stew in winters just on its own.Or serve with any bread of your choice.