Turkey Haleem | Canadian Turkey

Ingredients

1 kg turkey pieces bone in (I used breast and leg)
1.5 cups cracked wheat
¾ cup red lentils (masoor ki dal)
¾ cup yellow split peas (chane ki dal)
¾ cup washed urad lentils
3 tbsps ginger garlic paste
1 large onion chopped
4 tbsps ghee
4 tbsps haleem spice blend – you can either buy this as a mix from your desi grocer, or blend a tablespoon each of the following spices and create a blend; coriander, clove, cumin, black cumin, cardamom, and black pepper.
1.5 tbsps of red chili powder (you can use less, we like it spicy!)
Salt to taste

For garnishing

Chopped cilantro and mint
Chopped green chillies
Lemon
Fried onions – these are considered a must by most recipes, but my kids don’t like them so I skipped them in this version.

Directions

Start by washing the lentils and grains and soaking them in lukewarm water for 30 minutes
Poach the turkey pieces in a large pot with cinnamon and black cardamom. Remove after 45-60 minutes and pull meat off the bone. Save the stock!
Combine lentils, wheat, meat pieces, and a few bones in a large pot with ginger garlic paste, onion, ghee, and all the seasonings. Cover with approximately 10 cups of water.
Cook on medium heat for 2 hours, checking regularly so it doesn’t stick. Remove the bones before serving, and puree lightly if desired.

Notes: The key I found to turkey haleem is watching it during the final cook time. It can thicken up too much if the stove is on to high and start to stick to the bottom of the pan. Cook it slowly and stir regularly. The consistency is meant to be almost finely pureed. The lentils should melt into the stew and the turkey pieces almost fully melted away except for the occasional bite. Serve it with all the garnish options and enjoy!

See the Video!