BEEF NIHARI

  

Nihari, a popular Pakistani dish, is believed to date back to the 18th-century Mughal era. Today, it is enjoyed as a celebratory, everyday, street food, home-cooked delicacy, and simple comfort food. It is made with slow-cooked beef shanks in a flavorful, hot gravy. In these countries, it's a common breakfast dish that's typically served with roti or naan bread. Nihari is a Pakistani and Indian stew made with beef or lamb shank in a spicy gravy, crafted using a slow-cooking method. Its complexity lies in its glutinous gravy, infused with spices, and the silkiness of the melted collagen.

Ingredients:

·      1 kg beef shanks, cut into 1-inch pieces

·      1/2 kg beef bones with bone marrow

·      2 cups oil

·      1/2 cup ghee

·      3 tsp ginger paste

·      3 tsp garlic paste

·      1 tbsp red chili powder

·      1 tsp turmeric powder

·      1/2 tsp garam masala

·      1/2 tsp coriander powder

·      1/4 tsp cumin powder

·      1/4 tsp black peppercorns

·      1/4 tsp cloves

·     1/4 tsp bay leaves

·     1.5 tbsp saunf

·      Salt to taste

 

For Garnishing:

·      ½ Ginger Piece, Julienne

·      Fresh Coriander, Chopped

·      Green Chili, Chopped

·      Lemon, Sliced

Ingredients for Nihari Masala:

·      1.5 tbsp coriander seeds

·      1.5 tbsp saunf

·      1.5 tsp whole black pepper

·      1.5 tsp whole cloves

·      ½ tbsp cumin seeds

·      1 bay leaf

·      ½ tsp grated nutmeg

·      2 1-inch cinnamon sticks

·      2-3 piece mace

·      3 black cardamoms

·      4-6 green cardamoms

·      1 piece of dried ginger

·      6 whole red chillies

·      1 tsp kalonji

·       2 pieces of peepli

 

Preparing the Nihari :

·     Dry roast all the ingredients in a frying pan (no oil), and grind to a powder. Set aside 

·      Heat the oil in a big pot.

·      Slice your onion thinly, fry it until golden brown, and then spread it out to dry on paper towels.

·      Stir-fry the meat with all the remaining ingredients from the first list for about 4–5 minutes, or until it is browned and the masala is cooked.

·      Stir thoroughly after adding your Nihari Masala Mix and seven cups of water.

·      To achieve exceptionally tender meat, pressure cook for 45 to 50 minutes or slow cook, uncovered, for 4 to 5 hours. Bring the mixture to a boil and cover it to cook slowly on a stovetop.

·      When the timer goes off, skim any greyish scum that has risen to the surface and discard it.

·      Mix in the onions and bring the nihari to a boil.

·      If you're serving this again, set it aside for the nihari to cool.

·      When ready to serve, dissolve ⅓ cup atta in 1 cup water and whisk vigorously as you add it to the nihari. 10. The nihari will thicken as it cooks (10 to 15 minutes).

·      Adjust the consistency to your liking (more water or atta+water), but remember to simmer after adding it to get rid of the raw taste.

 

I hope you enjoy the recipe; please leave a comment and let us know how it turned out.