Hyderabadi haleem

Hyderabadi haleem

Homemade Hyderabadi haleem
Alternative names	Hyderabadi Harees
Place of origin	India
Region or state	Hyderabad
Creator	Originated from the Chaush (Hyderabadi Arabs)[1]
Main ingredients	Pounded wheat, lentils, goat meat, ghee, dried fruit and saffron
Cookbook: Hyderabadi haleem  Media: Hyderabadi haleem

This article is part of the series
Indian cuisine
Regional cuisines North India Awadhi Bhojpuri Punjabi Kumauni Kashmiri Rajasthani Uttar Pradeshi Bihari South India Main article Telugu Karnataka Kerala Tamil Hyderabadi Udupi Mangalorean Saraswat Mangalorean Catholic East, North East India Arunachalese Assamese Bengali Jharkhand Meghalayan Manipuri Naga Odia Sikkimese Tripuri West India Goan Gujarati Marathi Malvani & Konkani Sindhi Parsi Other Indian Chinese Nepali Jain (Satvika) Anglo-Indian Chettinad Fast food Malaysian Indian cuisine Indian Singaporean cuisine
Ingredients, types of food Main dishes Desserts Bread Drinks Snack foods Spices Condiments
Preparation, cooking Handi Karahi Tava Tandoor Uruli Other
See also History Etiquette Indian chefs Cookbook: Cuisine of India
Related cuisines Nepalese cuisine Sri Lankan cuisine Bangladeshi cuisine Pakistani cuisine Bhutanese cuisine Tibetan cuisine Afghani cuisine
India portal Food portal

Hyderabadi haleem (/ˈhaɪdərəbædɪˈhæliːm/) is a type of haleem popular in the Indian city Hyderabad. Haleem is a stew composed of meat, lentils and pounded wheat made into a thick paste. It is originally an Arabic dish and was introduced to the Hyderabad State by the Chaush people during the rule of the Nizams (the former rulers of Hyderabad State). Local traditional spices helped in evolving a unique Hyderabadi haleem that became popular among the native Hyderabadi Muslims by the 19th-century.

The preparation of haleem has been compared to that of Hyderabadi biryani. Though Hyderabadi haleem is the traditional hors d'oeuvre at weddings, celebrations and other social occasions, it is particularly consumed in the Islamic month of Ramadan during Iftar (the evening meal that breaks the day-long fast) as it provides instant energy and is high in calories. This has made the dish synonymous with Ramadan. In recognition of its cultural significance and popularity, in 2010, it was granted Geographical Indication status (GIS) by the Indian GIS registry office, making it the first non-vegetarian dish in India to get this status.

History

Haleem originated as an Arabic dish^[1][2] with meat and pounded wheat as the chief ingredients. It was introduced to Hyderabad by the Arab diaspora during the rule of the sixth Nizam, Mahbub Ali Khan, and later became an integral part of Hyderabadi cuisine during the rule of the seventh Nizam, Mir Osman Ali Khan.^[3][4] Sultan Saif Nawaz Jung Bahadur, an Arab chief from Al Mukalla, Hadhramaut, Yemen, who was among the seventh Nizam's court nobility, popularised it in Hyderabad.^[1][5] Addition of local flavours to the original recipe resulted in a taste distinct from other types of haleem.^[6]

Preparation

Mixed wheat, dal and other grains

Traditionally, Hyderabadi haleem is cooked on a low flame of firewood for up to 12 hours in a bhatti (a cauldron covered with a brick and mud kiln). One or two people are required to stir it continuously with wooden paddles throughout its preparation. For home-made Hyderabadi haleem, a Ghotni (a wooden hand masher) is used to stir it until it reaches a sticky-smooth consistency, similar to mashed mince.^[7][8]

Ingredients

Spices used in preparing Hyderabadi Haleem

The ingredients include meat (either goat meat, beef or chicken); pounded wheat; ghee—(milk fat rendered from butter, also called clarified butter); milk; lentils; ginger and garlic paste; turmeric; spices such as cumin seeds, caraway seeds (shah zeera), cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, black pepper, saffron, jaggery, natural gum, allspice (kabab cheeni); and dry fruits such as pistachio, cashew, fig and almond. It is served hot topped with a ghee-based gravy, pieces of lime, chopped coriander, sliced boiled egg and fried onions as garnish.^{[3][9][10][11]}

Variations

Different variants have been introduced catering to regional taste and requirements. A meethi (sweet) variant of haleem is consumed as breakfast by the Arab diaspora in Barkas neighbourhood of the city.<ref "name=thefreelibrary.com">"Barkas Street, a little Arabia in Hyderabad". thefreelibrary.com. Retrieved 30 August 2011. </ref> The chicken variant is less popular, even though it is lower priced. A vegetarian version of haleem, in which dry fruits and vegetables are substituted for goat meat, is available at some eateries in Hyderabad.^[12]

Nutrition

External image

A slidshow of Hyderabadi haleem prepration images. Published on Flickr

Hyderabadi haleem is a high calorie dish which gives instant energy as it contains slow-digesting and fast-burning ingredients.^[13][14] It also contains dry fruits rich in anti-oxidants.^[9][15] The meat and dry fruits make it a high protein food. A new low-cholesterol variety by using emu meat, rich in minerals, phosphorus and vitamins, was introduced in 2013.^[16][17] The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC), a local civic body that monitors health and safety regulations in the city, has set up hygiene and quality standards to be followed by the eateries selling it.^[18]

Popularity

Ghotni a wooden hand masher, used to muddle meat and wheat while cooking haleem until it becomes a thick paste.

Hyderabadi haleem is regarded as an international delicacy.^[19][20] In Hyderabad, the dish is often consumed at celebratory events such as weddings.^[13] It is consumed especially during Iftaar, the evening meal following the day-long fast, observed by Muslims during the month of Ramadan.^[21][22]

In Hyderabad and neighbouring areas, the month of Ramadan is synonymous with Hyderabadi haleem.^[23] During the 2014 Ramadan season, ₹5 billion worth of Hyderabadi haleem was sold in the city,^[24] and an additional 25,000 people were employed in the preparation and sale of haleem.^[25] The connoisseur chefs are paid salaries of up to ₹100,000 (US$1,500) a month plus benefits,<ref "name=siasat">"Hyderabadi Haleem treat for Vijayawadians". The Siasat Daily. 2 August 2011. Retrieved 24 August 2011. </ref> As of 2011, during Ramadan there were 6,000 eateries throughout the city that sold haleem (70% of which are temporary until Ramadan ends),^[26][27] and 28% of Hyderabadi haleem produced in the city was exported to 50 countries throughout the world.^[26]

Sanjeev Kapoor, an entrepreneur of Indian cuisine, mentions in his book Royal Hyderabadi Cooking that the preparation of haleem in Hyderabad has become an art form, much like the Hyderabadi biryani.^[28] In 2010 Hyderabadi haleem was awarded Geographical Indication status by the Indian GI registry office. It became the first meat product of India to receive a GI certification,^[14][29] This means that a dish cannot be sold as Hyderabadi haleem unless it meets the necessary standards laid down for it.^[27][30]

See also

• List of stews

References

Further reading

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Hyderabadi Haleem.

Wikibooks Cookbook has a recipe/module on Hyderabadi haleem

• Videos about cooking Hyderabdi haleem
• An article published by state Tourism department

Indian dishes by region
North	Aloo gobi Baati Baingan bartha Barfi (Kaju barfi / Kaju katli) Bhatura Butter chicken Chana masala Chapati Chicken tikka Chole bhature Churma Dal makhani Dopiaza Egg curry Haleem Jeera aloo Kachori Kadai Kadai chicken Kadhi Kahwah Keema Kulcha Korma Kulfi Laal maans Mattar paneer Makki di roti Mirchi Bada Mutton curry Murgh Musallam Naan Nihari Palak Paneer Pakora Paneer tikka Pasanda Raita Rajma Rogan josh Rumali roti Sai bhaji Sarson ka saag Shahi paneer Shami Kebab Tandoori chicken Paneer Tikka Masala Aloo Mutter Amritsari Papar Warian
South	Appam Aviyal Baghara baingan Benne Dose Bhajji Bisi bele bath Bonda Chicken 65 Chicken Chettinad Chakna Curd rice Dahi chutney Dopiaza Dosa Double ka meetha Fish molee Hyderabadi biryani Hyderabadi haleem Idiappam Idli Injipuli Kaalan Kanji Kerala porotta Koottu Kozhakkattai Kuzhambu Lukhmi Mirchi ka salan Murukku Mysore Pak Pachadi Paniyaram Parotta Payasam Pongal Poriyal Pulihora Puttu Rasam Rice and curry Sakinalu Sambar Sheer korma Sevai Upma Uttapam Thalassery biryani Vada
West	Akuri Basundi Bhakri Bhelpuri Bombil fry Chinese bhel Chivda Chouriço Dahi vada Dhansak Dhokla Doodhpak Handvo Kadboli Khatkhate Khandvi Khichdi Kombdi vade Kuswar Misal Misal Pav Pav bhaji Patoleo Patra ni machhi Pohe Sabudana Khichadi Sanna Sevpuri Shrikhand Solkadhi Sorpotel Thalipeeth Vada pav Veg Kolhapuri Vindaloo Xacuti
East	Alu Potala Rasa Beguni Bel Pana Bhuna Khicuhri Chakuli Pitha Cham cham Chandrakanti Charchari Chhena gaja Chhena jalebi Chhena kheeri Chhena poda Chingudi Jhola Dahi baigana Dahi Machha Jalfrezi Kati roll Luchi Machha Jhola Maachha Bihana Mathapuli Mishti Doi Ouu khatta Pakhala Pantua Pitha Prawn malai curry Rasabali Rasgulla Ras malai Sandesh Santula Sorshe Ilish
Miscellaneous	Biryani Chaat Chutney Dal Falooda Flattened rice Gulab Jamun Halwa Indian pickle Jalebi Kheer Kofta Laddu Mango pudding Panipuri Papadum Paratha Puri Qeema Roti Sindhi biryani Samosa Shankarpali Sabzi Zarda Puri Bhaji
Indian diaspora	Chicken tikka masala Fish head curry Indian Chinese cuisine Phall Nasi kandar Pasembur Roti canai
Category Commons Cookbook Food portal India portal