Ratna Chotrani/Hyderabad

Haleem is a dish that every Hyderabadi and tourist to the city looks forward to indulging their senses in. Although the Holy month of Ramazan is tentatively scheduled to begin on April 2, a local restaurant chain is hosting ‘Jashn-e-Haleem, a limited-edition menu available from March 15 to May 5 across its several outlets in Hyderabad adding more days and more happiness for the Haleem lovers.

Hyderabadi Haleem is known to hit all the right spots with its rich herbs and spices, famed mutton, wheat, lentils, aromatic herbs, and condiments braised in a warm, inviting golden creamy paste. If you’re looking to add a flavorsome spin to your dinner party’s menu Haleem served with dry fruits, pure ghee, and fried onions will be a guaranteed hero at the table. With the warmth of this dish and reams of flavours, there’s nothing not to love about Haleem.   

The menu put together by Head Chef Mangesh Hinge of Paradise restaurants features Haleem Special, a warm golden mixture made from tender mutton, pounded wheat, and lentils, with more than 30 aromatic spices and herbs including the refreshing rose petals, green cardamoms, and saffron.

All simmered, stirred and pounded with a heavy wooden paddle till it turns into a creamy golden dish. Topped with onions and dry fruits and dollops of pure ghee there is nothing more blissful than Haleem for its fans.     

This spoonful of Haleem will just melt in your mouth while its divine taste will linger on the taste buds for a long time. People wait for the Haleem joints in the nook and corners of the city to open. But Paradise has got this favorites dish to the haleem lovers much earlier in a setup that is hygienic and qualitative.

A bowl of Hyderabadi Haleem

Haleem was originally a native to the Arab cuisine but was introduced to Hyderabad by the Arab Diaspora during Nizam rule as they did the authentic Hyderabadi Biryani and several other traditional recipes. Arab Haleem too was exposed to the local culinary style and infused with many local spices, thus obtaining a unique taste.

The ingredients and preparation methods may be a lot similar to those made in Karachi Pakistan but it is the local spices that give Hyderabadi haleem a rich taste and flavour. An important hors d’ oeuvre at Ramazan Iftar parties and Muslim weddings, Hyderabadi Haleemis often considered a global delicacy craved by several film stars including the famed star Salman Khan who specially orders this dish from Hyderabad during Ramazan. It is the first Indian meat dish to be rewarded the GI (Geographical Indication) status by the GI Registry office of India      

Paradise, known for its most famous staple the classic rice delicacy Biryani, which is available in mutton, chicken, and egg variants has introduced the Boneless chicken Biryani with chunks of soft and tender chicken meat cooked with long-grained basmati rice blended with spices and masalas. Biryani is cooked on firewood with embers of charcoal put on the lid to impart the heat for “DUM” This dish is fragrant with aromas of ghee, cardamom, kewra, and saffron. This Biryani place is nothing less than a legend in Hyderabad.

Says Gautam Gupta CEO of Paradise Food Court Pvt Ltd, that Paradise is known for serving the best Hyderabadi Biryani one can get in the country and has now curated special Eid haleem that’s a complete meal and the boneless chicken Biryani. Haleem at Paradise is not only rich and authentic in taste but comes with consistent quality and spicy as Hyderabadi’s love. Available at Rs. 240 for 385 grams it is available in tamper-proof packs for a takeaway.

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You can cap off your meal with desserts that are festive-themed such as a double ka meetha and firni. Paradise also has a versatile Menu for food aficionados. It has options for non-vegetarians, vegetarians, egg lovers, mutton purists, and chicken eaters in the form of Kebabs, biryanis, and curries.