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'Haleem' for the veggies in Hyderabad Hyderabad: Hyderabad, famous for its non- vegetarian dish "Haleem", has introduced its vegetarian version during the holy month of Ramadan. Though the city is famous for Mughal food preparations, particularly "Biryani", mix of rice and mutton or chicken, the Haleem, a dish which has its root in Arab kingdom is the most sought after dish during Ramadan. However, as one of the primary ingredients for haleem is meat, this dish is not welcomed by vegetarians. As haleem has been gaining popularity, this year cooks have made efforts to reach out to the vegetarian food buffs. Keeping this in mind, one of the leading haleem makers in the twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad, Pista House has launched haleem for the veggies. Anil Sachdeva, a businessman from Haryana, on a visit to the city, said that the vegetarian haleem, available for the first time, was delicious. "I am a vegetarian and I came to know that they have, just this year only, started a vegetarian version. It looks like a non-vegetarian preparation but in terms of taste it is very good and it's very nutritious, there is a lot of cashews, almonds etc in it," he said. Haleem literally means "patience" because it involves long hours of preparation. It is made of wheat, mutton, gram pulse, curd, onions and vegetable oil with sprinkling of spices. It is served with lemon juice. There is hardly any restaurant in the city which does not sell haleem. Muslim devouts after breaking their "roza" or fast in the evening can be seen thronging these joints. Mohammed Abdul Majeed, owner of Pista House, said over 100 cooks, expert in making haleem, found the right recipe for the vegetarian version after much trial and error. "For the past one year we have been trying to make vegetarian Haleem, we have tried many recipes, finally we have hit upon a recipe," Majeed said. In the traditional haleem, the primary ingredient along with ground wheat is mutton. However, in the case of vegetarian haleem, select vegetables and dry fruits have replaced the meat component. During the holy month of Ramadan, Muslims abstain from eating, drinking, smoking, sex and listening to music during the day time. However, at night, the pleasures of the senses may resume. Ramadan, the ninth month of the Hijri lunar calendar, commemorates the revelation of the Quran, Islam's holy book. The month is traditionally a time of religious fervour, settling old disputes and behaving charitably towards neighbours. Fourteen centuries ago, Prophet Mohammad and his warriors fought infidels in Mecca during Ramadan. Considered auspicious for prayers, Muslims observe the month-long fasting called "roza". They believe this secures them a place in the heaven and also brings them face-to-face with Allah on the day of "kayamat" (Doomsday). Fasts are broken after dusk with feasting called "Iftar". November
1, 2003 |
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