Hyderabadi Haleem, a slow-cooked dish made with meat, broken wheat, lentils, and spices, holds a special place in Hyderabad's culinary landscape, especially during Ramadan. Introduced by the Arab diaspora during the Nizam rule, it underwent local adaptations, becoming a symbol of the city's rich gastronomic heritage.
'Hyderabad Haleem' is a cherished meat delicacy deeply rooted in the traditions of Hyderabad, India, particularly during the sacred Islamic month of Ramzan. This rich, high-calorie stew serves as a perfect culmination to the day's fast, known as 'Iftar.' The fundamental components of wheat, ghee, and meat are meticulously combined in equal proportions to create this delectable dish. While these three ingredients form the core, a medley of aromatic spices, nuts, and fragrant Basmati rice further elevate the flavor and aroma of 'Hyderabad Haleem.' The finishing touch of garnishing and a generous drizzle of clarified butter infuses it with a distinctive brownish, golden-yellow hue. Slow-cooked to perfection, 'Hyderabad Haleem' boasts a smooth, paste-like consistency, making it an indispensable part of the 'Iftar' tradition during Ramadan in Hyderabad.
Haleem is traditionally slow cooked overnight, while two to three people are required to continuously stir it. The lentils, rice and the meat and spices are cooked separately. Thereafter they are combined and pounded together to achieve a unique paste-like consistency. Lastly, it is garnished with nuts, berista (caramelized onion), herbs like coriander and mint, green chillies and lemon juice.
Pista house, a famous Hyderabadi restaurant, established in 1997 has played a humongous role in popularizing Haleem all the more. Not only has Pista House come up with vegetarian Haleem to accommodate a wider crowd but has also made it available for foreigners by opening up branches in USA and Oman.
Although Haleem had reached Hyderabad during the reign of the sixth Nizam Mahbub Ali Khan, it only became Hyderabad’s own under the seventh Nizam Mir Osman Ali Khan in the first half of the 20th century. Sultan Saif Nawaz Jung Bahadur, a scion of Al-Qu'aiti dynasty of Yemen, then a prominent noble in the seventh Nizam’s court, all the more popularized the dish when he used it as the star of his dinner parties.
Madina Hotel at Pathargatti, one of the oldest restaurants in the city, introduced Haleem to its menu in 1956, making this royal delicacy accessible to the common people of Hyderabad.
Arabic name: The Arabic name Halim or Haleem is a masculine name that means "gentle," "patient," "understanding," or "slow to anger". In Islam, Al-Halīm is one of the 99 names of God.
Persian word: The Persian word haleem means "oatmeal-like dish
The dish is also known as Hareesa in Arabia and Armenia, Daleem in Turkey, Iran, Azerbaijan, and northern Iraq, and Khichra in Pakistan.
Persian word: The Persian word haleem means "oatmeal-like dish
Harees or Jareesh, a predecessor to Haleem, is still sold in the Irani eateries of Hyderabad and is a staple in the streets of the area known as Barkas, famously called Little Arabia. This area once served as the Nizam’s military cantonment, housing mostly Chaush people (Hadhrami Arabs who settled in the Deccan region). The word Baraks finds its origin in the English word ‘barracks’. The name Barkas is also attributed to an area in Saudi Arabia called ‘ Wadiya Barkas’, the native land of a regiment serving as the Nizams’ esteemed bodyguards. This large settlement of the Arab population heralded the confluence of Arab food and culture with the existing Hyderabadi culture.
In contrast to Haleem, Harees would be considered rather bland. It does not contain the elaborate list of desi spices and desi ghee. Instead of Desi ghee, samneh is used, which is clarified butter made from sheep and goat milk, giving a very distinct greasy-meaty flavor. Harees have two variants: sweet and salty.
Primarily, haleem is associated with Islamic festivals. But to most people’s surprise, Jews from Persia have been eating Harees on Sabbath day (seventh day of the week, observed as day of rest) since medieval times. On the other hand Syrian Christians prepare it on the Feast of Assumption (marks Virgin Mary’s ascent to Heaven).
The world-famous Hyderabadi Haleem is an endowment of Arabic cuisine to this land but throughout the Indian subcontinent, we see various variations of the dish. Each region has added indigenous elements to the plain yet mesmerizing Harees. Nevertheless the basic structure and ingredients of the dish remain the same as Harees. Like a lot of many delicacies, Harees touched our lands, got accustomed to our palate and then became our very own Haleem.
In Kashmir, Hareesa is a popular dish exclusively eaten during the winter months. Instead of wheat, short-grained rice is used for the preparation of the same. Caramelized onion is replaced by Kashmiri shallot and Desi ghee with mustard oil. It's eaten along with Kashmiri bread.
North Kerala consumes a sweeter version of Haleem called Aleesa or Alsa. Along with the ingredients used in a typical Hyderabadi haleem, coconut milk, sugar and raisins are a merry addition. From the 7th century onwards, Arab merchants traded on the Malabar coast. Many of these traders married local women, giving rise to the Mappila Muslim community. Hereon Arab dishes were inducted into the religion. Arabic cooking techniques were assimilated with the local spices and ingredients, birthing the distinct Mappila cuisine.
Primarily, haleem is associated with Islamic festivals. But to most people’s surprise, Jews from Persia have been eating Harees on Sabbath day (seventh day of the week, observed as day of rest) since medieval times. On the other hand Syrian Christians prepare it on the Feast of Assumption (marks Virgin Mary’s ascent to Heaven).
The world-famous Hyderabadi Haleem is an endowment of Arabic cuisine to this land but throughout the Indian subcontinent, we see various variations of the dish. Each region has added indigenous elements to the plain yet mesmerizing Harees. Nevertheless the basic structure and ingredients of the dish remain the same as Harees. Like a lot of many delicacies, Harees touched our lands, got accustomed to our palate and then became our very own Haleem.
- 2 kilograms mutton
- 2 teaspoon ginger paste
- 5 tablespoon urad dal
- 1 teaspoon red chilli powder
- 2 cup yoghurt (curd)
- 1/2 cup cashews
- 1/2 teaspoon peppercorns
- 1/2 cup ghee
- 1/2 cup mint
- water as required
- 3 tablespoon yellow moong dal
- 2 cup broken wheat (dalia)
- 2 teaspoon garlic paste
- 5 tablespoon chana dal
- 1/4 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 cup onion
- 1 teaspoon garam masala powder
- 1 inch cinnamon stick
- 1 cup coriander leaves
- 6 green chilli
- 3 tablespoon toor daal
- salt as required
- For Garnishing 2 lemon wedges
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