Food guide
Haleem: A Short Guide
Haleem belongs to Ramzan in Hyderabad. Most kitchens cook it only during that month, and many open counters just for haleem in the evening.
By Anitha Rao ยท Updated 21 November 2025
What is in it
Haleem is a slow-cooked mix of broken wheat, lentils, meat and spice. Mutton is the classic. Chicken haleem is lighter. It is served with fried onion, lemon, coriander and mint, and sometimes extra ghee.
How it is cooked
The wheat and lentils are soaked overnight, then cooked with the meat in large pots over a slow fire. Cooks take turns pounding and stirring with long wooden paddles until the meat breaks down completely.
What good haleem tastes like
The texture should be smooth and stretchy, with no hard grains. It should taste of meat and ghee first and spice second. If it is grainy or tastes mostly of chilli, it was rushed.
A GI tag
Hyderabadi haleem received a Geographical Indication tag in 2010.
When to go
Counters open in the late afternoon during Ramzan and run until late. Expect crowds after iftar. For the rest of the year, our biryani guide will keep you busy.
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