Lucknow: Haleem is a slow-cooked, decadently rich dish that demands both time and patience, making it a meal best enjoyed leisurely. Its slow cooking process and indulgent flavours create a meal that lingers on the palate long after the last bite.
So, what exactly is haleem? It’s a flavourful blend of slow-cooked mutton and wheat, seasoned with spices, and cooked to a texture so tender that the meat dissolves into a finer consistency than mincemeat. The dish is then topped with green chillies, crispy brista (fried onions), julienned ginger, and ghee. A squeeze of fresh lime over this rich mixture, paired with rumali roti or khameeri roti, makes for an experience worthy of a culinary celebration. While the dish has evolved over the centuries, its roots trace back to the Mughals, who brought it to India many generations ago.
Haleem, or harissa as it is also known, has a long history, and was even documented in the 1590 chronicle *Ain-i-Akbari* by Abul Fazl. This account, detailing Emperor Akbar’s court cuisine, categorises the royal food into three distinct classes: safiyana (meatless dishes for abstinent days), rice or wheat-based dishes (sometimes with meat), and pure meat preparations. Haleem, which is traditionally served with rotis, belongs to the second class.
The original recipe from Akbar’s kitchen is a feast of royal proportions, consisting of 5 kg of crushed wheat, 10 kg of meat, 2 kg of ghee, 1 kg of gram, 1.5 kg of onions, 250 g of salt, and an array of spices including ginger, cinnamon, saffron, cloves, cardamom, and cumin seeds. The dish also includes turnips, carrots, spinach, and fennel—all slow-cooked together for hours to create the perfect harmony of flavours.
Haleem’s richness is accentuated by the slow breakdown of meat, creating a glutinous texture thanks to the wheat and, of course, generous amounts of butter or ghee. It is definitely not a meal for the faint-hearted or those planning to be active after ward. Instead, it’s a dish to be savoured slowly, allowing the flavours to unfold with each bite.
India, particularly Hyderabad, has added its own unique twist to this ancient dish. Hyderabadi haleem incorporates lentils (dal) in some variations and adds a richness with even more ghee and butter. The dish is said to have been brought to Hyderabad by Arab soldiers and Persian settlers who were part of the Nizam’s army. It was Saif Nawaz Jung, a Yemeni noble at the Nizam’s court, who elevated haleem to the status of a royal banquet dish, solidifying its reputation as a delicacy fit for kings.
Haleem’s story extends beyond India. Abu Muhammad Al Muzaffar Ibn Sayyar, who wrote about Baghdad cuisine, described a similar dish called “Haris,” and until the 1950s, haleem was still called “Haris” during Ramadan. The Madina Hotel in Hyderabad was the first to serve haleem to the public, and soon, other iconic spots like Shadab, Nayab, and Paradise followed suit. As the dish became more popular, regional spices were added, giving Hyderabadi haleem its distinctive flavour.
In Hyderabad, innovation didn’t stop with the recipe. The garnish also underwent a transformation. Whereas the original haleem was simpler, the Hyderabadi version is topped with fried onions, mint, lemon, dried fruits, and nuts, giving it an added layer of texture and richness. Pakistani haleem shares many of these garnishing elements.
A perfectly cooked haleem should always maintain a bit of texture, with bits of shredded meat and lentils noticeable in each bite. If you’ve never tasted haleem before, I recommend either visiting a friend who makes it at home or heading to Old Delhi to experience this culinary masterpiece. And when you do, be sure to add some green chillies, ginger, and a squeeze of lime to your serving. Sometimes, it’s worth indulging like a Mughal-e-Azam.
