Haleem Chacha!!!

 

The holy month of Ramzan commenced at Hyderabad on 23rd August this year. This is one of the most auspicious months of the Islamic calendar, a month of prayers and fasting.

Many cafés and restaurants in the twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad sell ‘Haleem’ – a very nutritious refreshment, in the evenings, after the dawn to dusk fasting ends. Over the years, more and more people have taken a liking to this delicacy. Today we can find a Haleem outlet in every nook and corner of the city, with huge crowds flocking to the most popular ones.

Haleem is a very soft porridge of chicken or mutton cooked with wheat, lentils, onions, oil, ghee, green chillies, ginger garlic paste, curd, mint leaves, pepper, cloves, lemons and coriander leaves. I first tasted it in 1974 at my brother’s Dental Clinic. Since then I have never missed having it many times every Ramzan, by ordering it from the best of the outlets in the city.

In 1995 I learnt to make excellent Haleem at home with mutton or chicken. Since then I prepare Haleem any time of the year to entertain family and friends. The above photographs are of Haleem, which I prepared yesterday morning with of course much assistance from my wife. I prepared this especially for my brother’s family who left the city yesterday evening on a week’s pilgrimage. We had Haleem for lunch and then we packed some for their journey. We also served it to some guests who visited us in the evening and we had it once again with our dinner. Everyone liked it and said that it is much better than what is available commercially.

We normally have Haleem on the first day of Ramzan but this year it was not possible as Vinayaka Chavithi festival was also observed on 23rd August. And on this festival day, we do not have non-veg. food. The next day, 24th August, my brother was leaving on pilgrimage and would not taste Haleem for a week so I decided to prepare Haleem for their lunch at home and dinner during their journey. When my brother’s sons were studying at AIIMS, New Delhi and I was flying there frequently on official work I used to carry ‘Paradise-Biryani’ and a few other eatables to them. Three times I prepared Haleem and took it to my nephews and their friends, and their friends gave me a nickname: ‘Haleem Chacha’, meaning Haleem-uncle!