Halim — Print Recipe — The Culinary Codex

A silky, rib-sticking porridge of crushed wheat simmered with shredded lamb until the grains dissolve into a thick, savory mass, served at dawn during Ramadan.

Ingredients

300g crushed wheat (bulgur or wheat berries)
500g lamb shoulder, bone-in
2 onions, diced
2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp black pepper
Salt to taste
2L water
Butter for serving
Ground cinnamon for garnish

Instructions

1 Soak crushed wheat overnight in cold water, then drain and rinse thoroughly to remove excess starch before cooking begins.
2 Boil lamb shoulder in fresh water for two hours until the meat falls off the bone, then remove, shred finely, and reserve broth.
3 Sauté diced onion in oil until golden, add cumin, cinnamon, and pepper, then combine with the wheat and reserved lamb broth.
4 Simmer on very low heat for one to two hours, stirring frequently with a wooden paddle to prevent sticking as the wheat breaks down.
5 The halim is ready when the wheat has completely dissolved into a thick, porridge-like consistency with no visible whole grains remaining.
6 Stir in the shredded lamb, adjust salt, serve in deep bowls with a pat of butter and a generous dusting of ground cinnamon.

Did You Know?

During Ramadan in Tashkent, halim vendors set up stalls before dawn, and the entire neighborhood follows the aroma to break their fast.