Nihari (Pakistani Slow-Cooked Beef Shank Stew)

About This Recipe

Nihari (from the Arabic 'nahar', meaning morning/daytime) is one of the great dishes of South Asian Muslim cooking — a slow-cooked beef shank stew that was originally prepared overnight in sealed clay pots (dum cooking) and sold in Old Delhi and Lahore at dawn, consumed after the Fajr (morning) prayer. After the 1947 partition of India and Pakistan, the dish travelled to Lahore and Karachi and became deeply embedded in Pakistani culinary culture, where it is now eaten every Friday and Sunday morning with naan or kulcha. The spice blend — nihari masala — includes whole cinnamon, black cardamom, cloves, star anise, dried ginger and nutmeg, producing a flavour that is simultaneously earthy, floral and warming. The finishing garnishes — thin ginger julienne, fresh green chilli, lemon, cilantro and a drizzle of ghee — are non-negotiable.

Ingredients

Serves 6

• 1.2 kgbeef shank (nalli)(bone-in, cut into thick rounds)
• 4 tbspghee or oil
• 2onions(thinly sliced and fried until golden-brown (birista))
• 1 tbspginger paste
• 1 tbspgarlic paste
• 3 tbspplain flour (atta)(for thickening)
• 1.5 litreswater
• 2 tspsalt
• 2 tspnihari masala(or combine: 1 tsp fennel, 0.5 tsp black cardamom, 0.5 tsp cinnamon, 0.25 tsp cloves, 0.25 tsp nutmeg, 0.5 tsp dried ginger)
• 1 tspred chilli powder
• 0.5 tspturmeric
• 1 tbspfresh ginger(julienned, to serve)
• 2green chillies(sliced, to serve)
• 1lemon(wedges, to serve)
• 4 tbspfresh cilantro(chopped, to serve)
• 1 tbspghee(to drizzle on top)

Instructions

1. 1

   Make birista (fried onions)

   Fry sliced onions in ghee over medium heat 20 min, stirring, until deep golden. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside. Reserve the ghee in the pot.

2. 2

   Sear beef

   In the same ghee, brown beef shanks in batches over high heat 4 min per side.

3. 3

   Build spice base

   Add ginger paste and garlic paste to the pot. Stir 1 min. Add nihari masala, red chilli, turmeric and half the fried onions. Stir 2 min.

4. 4

   Long braise

   Return all beef. Add water. Bring to a boil, skim foam. Reduce heat to the lowest possible simmer. Cover and cook 3–4 hours until the meat is falling off the bone and the broth is deeply flavoured.

   Authentic nihari simmers overnight. Even 3 hours gives dramatically better results than quick-cooking.

5. 5

   Thicken with flour

   Mix flour with 4 tbsp cold water into a smooth slurry. Stir into the braise. Simmer uncovered 15 min — the sauce should thicken to coat the back of a spoon.

6. 6

   Serve

   Ladle into deep bowls. Top with remaining golden onions, ginger julienne, sliced green chilli and cilantro. Drizzle ghee over the top. Serve with a lemon wedge and naan or kulcha bread.

Variations

• •

  Mutton nihari: use bone-in lamb or mutton — the traditional version outside Pakistan

• •

  Add 1 tbsp yogurt stirred in at the end for a tangier, slightly creamier version

• •

  Finish with a tempering (tarka) of ghee, cumin and dried red chilli poured over the top

• •

  Vegetarian: swap the protein for roasted king oyster mushrooms, smoked tofu or cooked chickpeas — adjust seasoning slightly upward to compensate.

Storage

Nihari is considered best on day 2 and 3 as the spices develop. Keeps 5 days refrigerated. Freezes well for 3 months (without garnishes).

Frequently Asked Questions