Haleem days are here again

Hyderabad: With Ramzan around the corner, Hyderabad's favourite Ramzan-time delicacy, Haleem, is served with different top-ups. Hyderabadis can now have the Ramzan delicacy this season with the flavoured like 'The SAFFRON ASL Haleem', 'juicy mutton nalli gosht' (mutton lamb shank), 'zubaan' (goat tongue) among others.

The pleasant aroma of Haleem is already wafting about eateries much ahead of Ramzan this year. People of all faiths have begun to dig into it ardently. Thanks to the protein-rich lentils, meat and wheat, garnished pure ghee, haleem replenishes the devout after a day of fasting. During Ramzan, the process of praying and fasting is almost the same everywhere too, but what sets Hyderabadis apart during the month of Ramzan is having lip-smacking Haleem at their favourite places.

Rekindling the passion of specialists, some famous restaurants including Café 555 at Masab Tank is serving the Haleem this season in a Persian style which is attracting the eateries. The Café 555 has been in the forefront of bringing Hyderabadi Haleem to its connoisseurs mixing the traditional Persian styles of cooking like Rosh Pukht (slow cooked) Aabgosht Aush (slowed bone broth), the barista (garnish of fried onion crisped to perfection), Joshida Rogan (a tempering prepared with desi ghee). The varieties of dish include Nalli Gosht, zuban, Chicken 65, and boiled eggs providing a rich multi-layered festival of flavors in a single dish.

"This is something different I had today, Haleem with Persian herbs and the café's unique ASL Haleem with Joshida Rogan and its top ups. Such exclusions can be prepared only in Hyderabad. The Iranian dish Haleem is famous all over the globe, but here one will find it with different flavour toppings," said Aamir Ahmed, a food blogger having Haleem at Café 555.

He said earlier, Haleem used to serve with the toppings including boiled egg with crispy onion etc. but now to attract more customers, the city hoteliers are serving Haleem with different flavoured toppings with fried mutton, chicken 65 and above of all the juicy nalli gosht remains favorite for foodies."

Ali Reza Jowkar of Café 555 said, "For the first time ever we are introducing 'Saffron ASL Haleem', in which Haleem meat is slow cooked with Bone Soup with Saffron and Desi Ghee, which gives it a very unique and special taste. This special Haleem served with an irresistible topping made of desi ghee and exotic nuts," he added. Each year, the café starts serving Haleem on the day of Shab-e-Barat (night of forgiving) and continues till seven days after Eid.

Pista House, which has over 30 outlets in the city, is starting on the first day of Ramzan. However, it promises to maintain authenticity. "The proportions of the ingredients and the taste of the dish will remain the same. The taste and authenticity are what we're known for," says MA Majed of Pista House. Other popular Haleem makers like Sarvi, Bawarchi, Shah Ghouse Café, Diamond hotel, Bombay hotel are all caught up in preparing their cooking chambers and will be starting on the first day of Ramzan.