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EveryMasala

Regional blends

Haleem masala

A rich blend for haleem, the slow-cooked grain and meat porridge of Ramadan evenings.

Haleem is a porridge-like dish of wheat, lentils and meat, cooked for hours. In Hyderabad it is closely linked to Ramadan, when it is sold in shops and eaten at the evening meal that breaks the fast. Its masala is warm and complex.

What goes in

Cumin: 21%21%Coriander seed: 21%21%Black pepper: 14%14%Cinnamon: 14%14%Cardamom: 14%14%Clove: 7%Mace: 7%14parts

Parts by volume of the whole spice. The ring shows each part's share.

Made step by step

Each drawing shows the operation for that step. Ratios and timings differ from house to house; this is one traditional-style way.

  1. Step 1: Toast Toast the cumin and coriander in a dry pan.
  2. Step 2: Toast Add the pepper, cinnamon, cardamom, clove and mace for a short time.
  3. Step 3: Rest Cool the mixture.
  4. Step 4: Grind Grind to a fine powder.
  5. Step 5: Bloom Bloom a portion in hot ghee with onion when starting the meat.
  6. Step 6: Store Keep the rest sealed.
  7. Cumin: 21%21%Coriander seed: 21%21%Black pepper: 14%14%Cinnamon: 14%14%Cardamom: 14%14%Clove: 7%Mace: 7%
    Finished Haleem masala, by share.

Ramadan food

The dish has Arab and Persian roots and was adapted in the subcontinent. Many restaurants in Hyderabad open special haleem counters each Ramadan, and Hyderabadi haleem has a geographical indication.

The blend

Shahi jeera, cinnamon, cardamom, clove, black pepper, bay leaf, mace and dried chilli are used, with fried onion, mint, lemon and ginger served on top. Ratios depend on the cook.

Where it is used

HaleemKhichdaLentil and meat stews

The spices in it

CinnamonSweet.Black pepperWarmth.CuminThe dried seed of a small parsley-family herb, used whole or ground in many world cuisines.CorianderThe leaves and dried seeds of an annual Mediterranean herb used in cuisines worldwide.CardamomAromatic seeds from spindle-shaped pods used in sweet and savory dishes across Asia and the Middle East.CloveThe dried flower bud of a tropical tree, prized for its intense warmth and numbing bite.

Also part of it, and being written: Mace (Delicate.).

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Sources and further reading

About this page

Original text and drawings by the EveryMasala desk, written with AI assistance and checked against the sources above. The shares are an illustrative, traditional-style ratio, not a standard: every family and maker blends differently. If we have something wrong, tell us.

Photo credits on this page

The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.

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