HYDERABAD: If you pass by Moazzam Jahi Market, you might not even notice this place. This hidden gem buried under the hustle-bustle of the market is Hameedi confectioners – the only eatery in Hyderabad where the world-famous Jouzi Halwa is made.
The shop which is the destination for all sweet lovers in the city is more than a century-old.
Mohammed Anees-ul-Hussain, owner of the shop has lost count of the number of years the restaurant has been in existence. “It was started by my grandfather Mohammed Hussain who migrated to Hyderabad from Turkey. He just tasted the sweet there and heard a bit about it. After he came to the city and set up his shop, he came up with his own recipe. The variations in this recipe were made keeping in mind the weather conditions in of both the countries,” explains Anees.
The Halwa is now so popular that people from Saudi, America, Cannada, Europe take it back when they come to visit Hyderabad. Each day, about one quintal gets sold in a jiffy says Ishaq Ahmed, manager at the eatery. What makes it interesting is that it takes close to 18 hours to be ready and by the way it is cooked, it can be stored for a month without any added preservatives.
“One should make sure that they don’t expose it to water or store it in fridge,” warns Ishaq. “The sweet is a royal dish and contains kesar, dry fruits, milk, pure ghee, jauzi fruit and zafran. It was supposedly the most loved sweet of the last Nizam Mir Osman Ali Asaf Jah VII and would be supplied to the palace for all their functions. He would even come down to our shop to have it many times,” informs Ishaq.
To be able to cater to all the sections of society, then owner of the shop Mohammed Hussain brought out varieties in it. They are popular even today. The present rates of the halwa start from `350 and go on to `2,000. Explaining variations in prices, Anees says that the one that costs `350 contains pure ghee and dry fruits, and ingredients keep getting added. “The one that costs `500 contains zafran along with the basic ingredients. The number of ingredients increas with the cost. The one that costs `2000 is rich in ingredients,” he says.
Pointing out that the sweet also has certain health benefits, Anees says it serves as energy supplement to those who are weak. “Every mother should give one spoon of sweet to her child in morning,” he suggests adding, “Apart from that, a person who has a weak immunity system should have 50 grams of the sweet plus half glass of milk and sleep after two hours. That will help them recover,” explains Ishaq.
“We haven’t thought of modifying the recipe as its authenticity will be lost. People like it this way,” informs Anees when asked if they have brought any changes to eat to suit the needs of the present generation.
The recipe also has been kept secret informs Anees. “The recipe is known only to our family members. We go to the shop early in morning, mix the ingredients and set it on stove. Our employees keep an eye on it for the next 18 hours,” tells Anees who has been taking care of the shop for the past 20 years.
Though they have not made any changes in the recipe, they have brought in a new dish with which is named as Badam Jouzi Halwa four years ago which, as the name explains, contains more almonds in it.
“People who dislike sweets will start loving it,”says Anees and that holds true, for one has to taste it to believe it.
The restaurant now is under a threat as it comes on the way for metro rail. Anees is requesting Telangana government to provide them with a land which is not far than their current location.