Tale Of A Piping Hot Pot Of Haleem

Did you know that every year the city of Hyderabad celebrates the Haleem Festival in July? We have heard of Food Festivals being organized all around the country, but what is so special about Haleem that Hyderabad has gone as far as dedicating a day for it? Well, that's for us to write and for you to read!

When the fascinating dish of Haleem is laid out; Image Source: Chef Kunal Kapur

Now that you're hooked on the significance behind this festival, let's learn a bit about this before exploring the delicious nuances of Haleem. The Haleem Festival is a proclamation of Hyderabadi gastronomic culture to the rising diaspora of migrants from all over India during the sacred month of Ramadan. On the day this festival is celebrated, the entire ecumenical population gathers at Shilparamam, a handicraft market located in a small hamlet, to attend a musical night and enjoy the night!

The best part about this festival is the coming of the biggest and most famous brand restaurants like Bavarchi, Pista House, Shadab, Sarvi, and Shah House. These restaurants bring their best chefs who make mouth-watering Haleem and treat the locals and tourists with an authentic dish under the open sky, filled with stars and moon. The visitors are served beautiful platters filled with delicious Haleem garnished with rich nuts. While enjoying their food, the visitors also listen to the live Ghazal concert that pours in peace and soulful notes to create an Arabian ambiance.

As the humongous ball of fire is about to cast its last rays on the eternally blue sky, the entire city of Hyderabad reverberates with the sounds of prayers from the mosques. However, as usual, the Jagadamba Junction is a busy lane with business at its zenith. The cloudy evening does not hide the fact that the tiny lights look a little brighter today, and small booths filled with pots of Haleem have been set up to entice people out of their homes. It's the sacred month of Ramadan, and the Muslims are ready to observe Roza and daawat during the night.

Even if you aren't a Muslim or not following any fast, there is no reason why you should not be a part of their celebrations and taste Haleem. Plenty of Haleem stalls are opened, setting up their pots, waiting for you to taste their mouth-watering delicacy. Every year, the number of Haleem stalls keeps increasing, and the taste improves. The Haleem Festival is a proclamation of Hyderabadi gastronomic culture to the rising diaspora of migrants from all over India during the sacred month of Ramadan.

Hyderabad: The city that nourished Haleem; Image Source: NewsBytes

Now that we have two of the essential cultures linked to Haleem, let's get into the story of how Haleem came to India and, most importantly, how this delicacy was invented. It is said that Haleem comes from its ancestor, Harees. The mention of Harees was found for the first time in a 10th-century cookbook named Kitab Al-Tabikh (Book of Recipes), written by an Arab scribe Abu Muhammad al-Muzaffar Ibn Sayyar. This cookbook consisted of numerous dishes popular with Baghdad's "kings, leaders, caliphs, and lords." This book is said to be the oldest surviving cookbook of the Arabian culture, and many of its recipes resemble what people in the Middle East eat even today.

It is said that Harees was introduced in India for the first time by the Hyderabad Nizam's army, who were mainly Arabians. Though the traditional dish of Harees is still cooked in Barkas, an Arab quarter of Hyderabad, with time, this dish was modified into something more contemporary in nature called Haleem. There are some other theories as well that tell that Haleem and Harees are different from each other. Though both are made with mutton and wheat, Haleem is spicier as it is prepared with a mix of Deccan and Middle East cooking styles. Harees, on the other hand, are said to be the Yemen warrior's food.

But how did Harees evolve into Haleem, one of the most famous dishes of Hyderabad? There are numerous legends and tales that talk about this mysterious evolution. Stay tuned for the next part where we explore these tales and walk through the lanes of Persia and the old streets of Hyderabad.