The Concept of Hyderabadi Haleem

Hyderabadi haleem 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 Arab diaspora 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 natives 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

Tasty Hyderabadi Haleem