Eat, Pray...Fast
The holy month of Ramadan is as much about fasting as it is about feasting. One such dish which is quite the feast in itself is Haleem. But there's a lot you might not know about this dish. Read on to find out...
The holy month of Ramadan is as much about fasting as it is about feasting. One such dish which is quite the feast in itself is Haleem. This delicious blend of lentils, meat and spices is a staple in every Muslim household for Iftar. But there's a lot you might not know about this dish. Read on to find out...
Though Haleem traces its origins to Arabia and Persia, it found its way to Indian kitchens after it was introduced to Hyderabad by the Arab diaspora during the rule of the sixth Nizam, Mahbub Ali Khan. Hyderabadi haleem is probably the city's second most famous dish after the Hyderabadi biryani.
If you thought Haleem was only for the meat-eaters, think again. Giving in to rising demands, several restaurants now serve vegetarian haleem which promises to pack in the same punch as the original. Says Sharad Dewan of The Park Kolkata, "Jackfruit haleem is very popular among our patrons. Most people can't believe it's made out of jackfruit as it looks and tastes like its mutton variety." In fact in Bengal raw jackfruit is called gaach-pantha, which means meat from a tree. This is perhaps what makes the fruit such a perfect substitute for meat.
Legend has it that oppressed Sufis moved from one place to another, begging for food. Sympathisers gave them handfuls of wheat, lentils or even scraps of meat which the Sufis then used to cook up a porridge-like dish which we know as haleem today.
Though haleem is available all year round, it's a Ramadan favourite because of its high nutritional value. "Prepared with an assortment of ingredients, haleem packs in a lot of proteins and calories which not only satisfies one's hunger after a day of fasting, but it also staves off hunger for a longer period. Haleem over the years has come to be an indispensable aspect of our Iftar gatherings," says a seventh generation descendant of Tipu Sultan, 73-year-old Manzila Tara Begum.
This might be news to some. If you thought the only difference between the Hyderabadi and Lucknowi haleem is the place of origin, Chef Sarafat Ali of Aminia Restaurant will beg to differ. He says, "Hyderabadi haleem has more lentils and dry fruits to give it a thicker texture and is also lighter in colour, whereas more spices are added to the Lucknowi haleem which gives it more flavour as well as a yellow or darker tinge," he says.
This dish gives a new definition to slow cooking. "The preparation of haleem is an arduous process which includes the use of 13 varieties of spices and 12 varieties of pulses. Both kinds of haleem take six-seven hours to prepare," says Chef Ali.