Beef Porridge

Last year, I came across a 10th century Abbasid meat porridge recipe on V. Birchwood’s YouTube channel.

The meat porridge reminded me of haleem, and I wondered what if I combined this recipe with a traditional haleem recipe.

The Abbasid recipe uses a combination of goat’s meat, goat’s milk and rice for the porridge. For my recipe, I didn’t do much but take a basic haleem recipe and add milk to it. And since I was adding milk, I decided I might as well add some cheddar to it on top.

The result is something which is not very far away from a haleem, but I find this recipe has a creamier and more complex flavour due to the addition of milk and cheese.

Tips

• Use fattier cuts of beef; the higher fat content gives the final dish more depth of flavour.

• If available, add some beef or chicken stock along with the milk for a fuller flavour.

• Adjust the milk quantity gradually. Too much can thin the porridge more than intended. Keep adding milk if needed until you reach the desired consistency.

• All the measurements here are approximate. The dish is quite forgiving, so feel free to adjust the quantities according to your preference.