Halas (Arabic: حلص, romanized: Ḥlṣ) is a Yemeni food made of halaṣ leaf. The food is eaten during drought periods in Yemen.[1]
The halaṣ leaves have a very bitter taste but they are boiled in water until the taste is gone. It is then added to traditional buttermilk known as ḥaqin.[1]
Ḥalaṣ is often confused with halqa or ghulaf (Cyphostemma digitatum (Forssk.)), which, according to Lisan al-Arab, is a plant that grows in Yemen whose leaves are similar in shape to vine leaves. It is roasted and dried, then used over meat.[1][2] Halqa is used in traditional Yemeni ethnomedicine.[3]
In 2018, people of the Yemeni town of Tihamah have survived by eating halaṣ due to the famine in that area.[4]