Pakistani Nihari Recipe
Nihari is not like traditional gravy as it is thicker and more flavourful. It is because the shanks are cooked with the bone marrow throughout the night. Nihari is made in large pots that are sealed with dough to be cooked in steam on low flame. A good nihari is made when it is made with proper knowledge of spices and other ingredients. If the nihari is not cooked thoroughly, it will lose its real flavor and texture.
Ingredients
Whole Spices
- Half piece of a small Star Anise
- 1 Inch piece Cinnamon Sticks
- 2 Small Bay Leaves
Ground Spices
- 2-3 Cloves ground in powder
- ½ tsp Fennel Seeds Posder
- ½ tsp Ground Cardamom Seeds
- ½ tsp Paprika Powder
- ½ tsp Cumin Powder
- ½ tsp Turmeric
- ½ tsp Coriander Powder
- ½ tsp Black Pepper Powder
- ½ tsp Crushed Red Chilli
- ½ tsp Asian Red Chilli Powder
- A pinch of Nutmeg
- 1/8 tsp Garlic Powder
- ½ tbsp Nihari Masala
Ingredients for Stew
- 1/3 cup Neutral Oil
- 1 tbsp Butter or Ghee
- 1 Large Onion Sliced
- ¾ Inch Ginger Piece Crushed
- ¼ Cup Wheat Flour
- 3½ Cup Water
- 1 lb Beef Shank Pieces - Cut in 1½ Inch Pieces
Ingredients for Garnishing
- Crispy Fried Onions
- 1 Lemon Sliced
- 2 Green Chillies Chopped
- 1 Inch Piece of Ginger cut in Julienne
- ¼ Bunch of Cilantro Chopped
Instructions
- Take a medium pot and heat it on medium to high flame
- Heat oil and ghee and add whole spices
- Add onion and fry for 10 minutes or until golden
- Add ginger and garlicand sauté for about 1 minute
- Add beef and fry itfor 5 minutes or until it turns golden
- Reduce the flame andadd all the powdered spices and salt
- Sauté for 30 seconds
- Carefully transferthe meat mixture into a slow cooker
- Add water and keepstirring until mix
- Cook on low flame for8 to 10 hours or overnight
- Let it cook until beef is tender
- Cooking time dependson the quality of the meat and cooker
- When the dish isabout to cook, take out whole spices
- Take out a cup ofstew into a bowl
- Add an ice cube in it and let it cool
- Heat a pan on thestove and add flour into it
- Sauté until it changes color
- Take flour and mix inthe liquid to make a smooth paste
- Bit by bit add itinto the nihari and keep stirring to avoid forming lumps
- Let it cook foraround 40 to 45 minutes
- Cook it on slow flame until oil pops out
- Pour it into theserving bowl
- Garnish it withcoriander leaves, green chilies, brown fried onion
- Delicious nihari isready
- Serve it withsheermal, naan or tandoori ready