This cook turns carpenter during Ramzan month

Chatta Bazar: With just few days for the starting of the holy month of Ramzan, the preparations are going across the different parts of the city for special dish 'Haleem'. For hotels engaged in business of this traditional dish, the 'Haleem ka Ghota' specially made by the 'cook cum carpenter', Mohammed Anwar remains in high demand.

This cook who knows the importance of this Ghota used for mashing huge quantities of ingredients together for getting soft and greasy texture of Haleem has been into carpentry for some 30 years. Most of the top Haleem makers place bulk orders days before the beginning of Ramzan.

Each year he gets busy at his workshop in Chatta Bazaar, near Madina building, with the material (wood) strong enough to sustain the hours-long mashing exercise at each of the centres where this dish is made in huge quantities during the entire month.

This professional cook, prepares more than 1000 'Haleem ka Ghota', by starting the preparing Ghota about a one month before Ramzan and he works as cook for rest of the year.

Speaking to The Hans India Anwar said that for about 30 years he has been engaged in work (carpenter) to prepare the important tool, 'Haleem ka Ghota'. "This wooden made tool has a long pole of wood (upper part) which is fixed to the Ghota (lower part), just like an axe.

This Ghota is made up of wood of Babool tree and the long pole is made up of wood of Saru ki Lakdi (Beefwood). It has different sizes starting from 3ft of pole and 6 inch of Ghota to 7 ft pole and 1 ft of Ghota", said Anwar.

He also said that the price ranges between Rs 200 to Rs 800 which can also depend according to different sizes. For preparing one Ghota it takes almost 30 minutes.

A solid babool wood is cut according to size and then given a shape of Ghota with finesse and for preparing pole a solid pole of Saru is cut according to the size. The skin of the wood is removed and after ensuring the smoothness two parts are joined", he explained.

Top hotels uses his ghota

Speaking about the preparing and supplying of 'Haleem ka Ghota' Mohammed Anwar said he prepares more than 1000 Ghota of which he supplies 200 Ghota to Pista House, for more than 20 years. Famous Paradise Hotel in Secunderabad is also amongst his clients, as he supplies 50 Ghota, including the biggest one (with 7 ft long pole and 1 ft Ghota, which weights of 7-8 kg). While Bahar hotel in Basheerbagh gets 50 Ghota. He also said that he supplies Ghota to almost all hotels throughout the Hyderabad.

Mohammed, a Haleem maker and who visited him to buy Ghota said that he has been purchasing the Ghota from Mohammed Anwar for 7-8 years, as he installs his own Haleem stall. "For preparing the Haleem, the cook has to ensure that the Ghota he is using is in good shape and strong enough to mash and mix all the ingredients properly. After all tasty Haleem, has a mark of Anwar as he makes the Ghota in perfectly. Being a cook he knows the importance of Ghota ", said Mohammed.