Biryani comes under the Hyderabad’s trademark platter. But do you know? In favor of haleem, even this legendary gourmet food takes a back seat during the holy month of Ramazan. Haleem is made of meat, wheat, and lentils and it is a porridge-like Arabian dish. Talking about its origin, Haleem was introduced by foreign migrants in the Mughal era.
During Ramazan, there is such an inclination towards haleem, that no other dish even comes close in terms of taste, demand, and popularity. In many Muslim marriages, this tempting dish is a regular in the cuisine, though also available at a few city hotels around the year. It’s just during the fasting month (Ramadan) that it is in huge demand. Also, people from other communities eagerly await Ramazan to relish this dish.
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During the holy month, ‘Bhattis’ also known brick-and-mud ovens (in hotels) are a common sight across Hyderabad. The chefs are also seen engaged in the tiresome process of making the splendid dish in large vessels cemented on ‘Bhattis’ (traditional ovens). Chefs can be seen pounding the meat in vessels with large wooden poles. The entire cooking process takes around 10 to 12 hours. On top of it, everything is done on firewood. Therefore, the preparation of Haleem is called a laborious process.
Over the years, this syrupy dish was Indianised with the addition of traditional local spices, dry fruit, “desi ghee” and the exclusive style of cooking. During Ramadan, Haleem can be found everywhere, from small eateries to popular food joints and star hotels. Haleem is also favored for the fast-breaking due to its high nutritive value and gruel-like texture.
In Hyderabad, thousands of customers throng outlets, from around 5 pm till past midnight to taste haleem. Those traveling to different destinations within the country don’t forget to pick up a few packets of haleem for their nears and dears.
