WHEN HALEEM STALLS ADORN THE CITY OF HYDERABAD
It is that time of the year that Hyderabadis wait for eagerly. Well, its the holy month of Ramzan. Fasting for a duration of more than fourteen hours even without gulping their saliva, Hyderabadis have this age old tradition of quenching their hunger with HALEEM !
It was during the Nizam rule that the dish was introduced to the Hyderabad state by the Arab diaspora and ever since, the dish has come to be regarded as the pride of the city (just like its sister concern Biryani ). Such has been the popularity and legacy of the dish that in 2010, it was granted Geographical Indication Status (GIS) by the Indian GIS Registry Office, making it the first non-vegetarian dish in India to be listed as GIS.
Containing numerous ingredients, namely, meat (either mutton, beef or chicken), pounded wheat, ghee, milk, lentils, ginger and garlic paste, turmeric, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, black pepper, saffron, jaggery, dry fruits etc, haleem is cooked on a low flame of firewood for up to 12 hours in a makeshift bhatti (a cauldron covered with a brick and mud kiln) before it turns into a paste-like substance.
Every nook and corner of the city manifests of a number of Haleem stalls. However, what is interesting to note is that the taste and quality differs significantly from stall to stall. Right from plain to double spicy, from white colour to yellow colour, the stalls try and cater to the taste buds of the larger community. Also, worth noticing is the huge gap in prices prevalent among the stalls. While one can get a Chicken Haleem for as low as Rs. 30, there are those like Pista House at the other end of the spectrum which offers the same for as high as Rs. 95
If one happens to pass by the city roads (for instance,through Tolichowki ), one can see how the 4Ps of Marketing have been effectively put into perspective by the various stalls. Right from the manual counting of the "Days to Ramzan" (started and exhibited from as early 60 days backwards) to huge hoardings and banners, the city wears a look of nothing short of a carnival. The moment an individual slows his bike/ vehicle, he is surrounded by a string of Delivery Personnel who by their mastered art of customer service would oblige him/her to buy at least one Haleem (in most cases, people end up buying Family Packs). What is also noticeable is the fact that the dish and its popularity is not limited just to the Muslims- the dish is equally popular among other communities as well !
It is highly probable that your mouth must have started watering while reading this post. So, what are you waiting for? Go grab your HALEEM and get drowned in its eternal appeal...
