Haleem ho jaye!

WHAT'S THE hottest dish during Ramzan?

Of course, `haleem'.

Are you sure?

Yeah!

Lock kiya jaye?

No, pack kiya jaye, please.

Even the Big B will drool over it if he were to be in Hyderabad. Ramzan and haleem, the combination is deadly nay sizzling. It's one date no `rozadar' would like to stand up.

Ah, the tantalising aroma, it hangs everywhere. And as the evening draws near, it becomes simply overpowering. After observing fast from dawn to dusk, what better thing to tickle the taste buds than haleem. Familiarity, they say, breeds contempt. But this Hyderabadi delicacy is an exception. One never seem to get enough of it. Come Ramzan and the city is on a roll. And those who make a pretty pile out of it are the hoteliers. Vantage spots are grabbed days before the month of fasting begins. Huge `bhattis' are made, the delectable dish cooked and kept simmering for the mad rush that starts from the `Chand ki raat.'

Haleem is a success mantra. So is `harees'. Even the roadside kiosks rake in the moolah. No neon lights, no decor and not even enough chairs to sit, yet people are seen queuing up. Forget customer being the king. Here the clients wait, money in hand, and try in vain to catch the eye of the server. At most of the roadside stalls, a plate of a `single' haleem is available for Rs. 10 and double for Rs. 15. In hotels, the price ranges from Rs. 20 to Rs. 30. And if you want it special then be prepared to cough up Rs. 50 and more.

Restaurants like Madina, Nayab, Shadaab, and Parwaz are always chock-a-block, the faithful clients making it a point to eat there. Of course, these hotels take pains to heighten the appeal by elaborate garnishing.

For the `rozadars' what better place to eat their choicest dish than Paradise. Just unwind and let the palate get the better of you. Yes, this popular hotel is making a `zabardast' offer - haleem ke sath Coca-cola. What's more, you also get a coupon for lucky draw. And if fortune favours you can even win a two-wheeler or a fridge.

What does this great dish consists of? It's essentially a mix of finely pounded wheat and mutton gravy. The lip-smacking taste comes when the `teen gaf hamwazan' principle is followed. It means having `gehun' (wheat), `gosth' (meat) and ghee in equal proportion.

What? You haven't sampled haleem yet? With due apologies to Mirza Ghalib, one is tempted to say:

Hum bhi muhn mein zaban rakhte hain.

Kash poocho ke zaikha kya hai

The proof of pudding is in the eating. So ho jaye ek dish haleem ki.

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