Fast, and then feast!

The holy month of Ramzan is here, and foodies in the city are busy relishing the irresistible haleem while traders are making a killing 

It’s time for yet another round of fasting, fervor and piety. Yes, Ramzan is here and devout Muslims are observing the holy month with grandeur. When we think of Ramzan fast, who can afford to miss the thoughts of an evening feast with mouthwatering haleem?
Hyderabadi haleem is known the world over for its taste. And not just Muslims, people of all communities in Hyderabad are busy relishing that irresistible dish.
But folks, times are changing and you may not know. Unlike earlier, one does not need to wait all year long to taste the unique food item. There are some stalls that serve haleem round the year in some parts of the city. Haleem seems to have become a daily dish of the Hi-tech city residents.

Foodies of Hyderabad travel even eight to 12 kilometers just to have a bite of haleem, as it is not commonly available. But Koti, the nerve centre of Hyderabad, has some food joints where one can have the delicious Ramzan dish.

“I came all the way from Mehdipatnam to King Koti just to eat haleem,” said Durre Shehwar, an NRI on a visit to the city. “Preparing of haleem is a lengthy process that cannot be done at home as we are all busy with other works,” she told. “It is only available in Hyderabad and we love to eat it whenever we visit India,” she added.

It will take 10-12 hours to prepare. The ingredients used are wheat flour, meat, spices and
ghee. Sprinkled with lemon juice and spicy masala to add to the flavor, haleem remains one of the most sought after food items in the city.

Though haleem is made of mutton or chicken, surprisingly even vegetarian haleem is in our city. The idea has become a hit with people and now they eat it regularly as it is a high-calorie dish.

The price per plate varies from Rs 20 and up to Rs 70. Each plate of haleem weighs between 200 and 400gms. Pista House is one outlet popular for quality haleem. It also exports haleem to major countries in the world. It sells through 160 outlets and three main branches in the city in the month of Ramzan only.

“Bollywood stars like Govinda, Salman Khan, Dilip Kumar, Dia Mirza and Karishma
Kapoor order haleem and we deliver it through courier service,” said Mohsi, manager of
Pista House. “The average sale of haleem is nearly six million during Ramzan,” he added.
Haleem sellers are all smiles and so are the foodies!