Right from my childhood I've been a great fan of Ramzaan. Primarily because of the toys I used to buy near the masjid in Balamrai (behind Paradise), where I was born and brought up, and lately because of the variety of haleem. At first when I tasted haleem during my first year in under graduation, I didn't like it at all. A friend of mine had it made at home. Somehow, I didn't feel it was a delicacy attached to the Hyderabadi culture. But three years later, when I tasted the haleem at Shadaab near Madina chowrastha, I started developing a liking and now I'm addicted to it.
In the last decade I've tasted haleem from almost all the popular Irani eatouts in Hyderabad. Some of these are Pista house, Madina, Shadaab, Paradise, Bawarchi, Astoria, Niagara, Hyderabad Biryani House, Cafe Bahaar and many more. Not to forget about those hundred's of small bhatti's (earth furnaces) set up my seasonal businessmen all over Hyderabad to sell haleem during the month of Ramzaan. Haleem at these places is as good as any popular irani cafe and they cost less. Infact, the best part is to taste haleem a couple of times in these popular irani cafes and go out on fulltoo eating spree from the makeshift haleem counters. That's about my haleem story. Now I'm starting my month long haleem eating festival today. Will write up more stuff soon.
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