The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : Haleem days are here again

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Tuesday, Sep 26, 2006
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

Haleem days are here again

Staff Reporter

Almost all outlets in the old city will be open throughout night

DISHING OUT A DELIGHT: Haleem being sold at Begumpet on Monday. — Photo: G. Krishnaswamy

HYDERABAD: The holy month of Ramzan is back and so is the divinely delectable haleem. Every restaurant and Irani hotel worth its weight in biryani has plunged itself into the haleem frenzy, whipping up the squashy delight.

Every nook and corner of the old city was bustling with hectic activity since Monday morning to erect special pandals, seating arrangements and rigging up haleem mela stalls for the evening rush. Banners and festoons with variety of names like Kashmiri haleem, Zam Zam haleem, Badami haleem and Irani haleem dotted the Charminar Main Road where the devout converge to offer prayers at Mecca Masjid.

Almost all the haleem outlets in the old city will be open throughout night during the season to the delight of haleem lovers, a tribe that cut across all religions. Of course there is severe competition among hotel owners, natural when there are over 5,000 haleem centres across the twin cities. Some of them even have recruited over 100 waiters to serve the dish to the customers, which will include people from all sections of the society and not just Muslims.

Breaking away from the tradition has always been a USP of the famous Pista House. And this year, they have gone a step ahead taking Hyderabadi haleem all the way to Jeddah, Mecca and Madina. A team of 16 cooks from Pista House has been sent to these three cities to prepare the Hyderabadi haleem for the faithful. "This year we are selling a bowlful for Rs.45. We have taken Hyderabadi haleem to the Middle East and next year we will take it to Europe and US. We are inundated with orders from places like Chicago but are unable to cater to them," says Pista House Proprietor M.A. Majid, adding that Pista House had also tied up with Gati Transport Agency to despatch haleem to anywhere in the country.

"The month of Ramzan is synonymous with haleem. This is a good time for us to do business. Our Badami haleem is also quite famous," says proprietor of Jahangir Meat Shop at Shahalibanda Kaleem, who is organising a Badami haleem mela.

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