Authentic Nihari Recipe
Nihari is a rich mutton stew that originated in the Indian subcontinent and is popular in Pakistan and North India. Traditionally enjoyed as a breakfast dish, Nihari was once cooked overnight and served in the morning to provide warmth and energy. Today, this deeply spiced, velvety smooth gravy with fall-apart tender meat is a beloved dish, and with this easy homemade Nihari recipe, you can enjoy a restaurant-style flavor right in your kitchen!
Why You’ll Love This Nihari Recipe
- Authentic flavors – Just like the best restaurants! You get to make your own Nihari spice mix, and since not all the spices are available in every kitchen, I have made sure to make a blend that will give you the exact flavor with widely and easily available spices.
- Velvety smooth gravy – Perfectly thick and rich. In most recipes, Atta is used to thicken the stew, but I have replaced it with all-purpose flour.
- Tender, slow-cooked meat – It melts in your mouth. Although I have used lamb meat, you can achieve the same by using beef.
- Easy to make at home – I give you simple steps with a detailed video tutorial and step-by-step images to make it a hit from the first time.
Step-by-Step Instructions To Making Nihari
Preparing the Nihari Spice Mix
In a dry pan over medium-low heat, toast all the whole spices listed under Nihari Spice Mix.
Stir continuously until they release a warm aroma.
Let the spices cool slightly, then grind them into a fine powder. Set aside.
Making the Flour Slurry
Roast the flour in a dry pan until it turns off-white and loses its raw smell.
Mix with water to form a smooth slurry. Set aside.
Cooking the Nihari
Heat ghee and oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the whole onion and lamb meat. Let the meat sear for 2 minutes before stirring.
Continue stirring until the meat develops brown patches. Add the ginger, garlic, and green chili paste. Sauté for a few minutes.
Stir in 2 tablespoons of Nihari Spice Mix, Kashmiri mirch, and salt. Cook for another minute. Remove the onion from the pot.
Pour in 5 cups of boiling water (careful the mixture might splatter), stir well, then cover and let simmer for 1.5 hours until the meat is tender. Skim off the excess oil from the surface and set it aside.
Thickening the Nihari
Slowly add ¼ cup of the flour slurry while stirring continuously. Add another ¼ cup, stirring well to maintain a smooth consistency.
Stir in ¼ teaspoon of the Nihari Spice Mix. Cover and let it cook for another 15–20 minutes on low heat.
Add the reserved oil back into the Nihari for extra richness. Cover, turn off the heat, and let it sit for a few minutes before serving.
Serving Suggestions
- Serve the Nihari hot with fresh naan or fluffy basmati rice.
- Garnish with julienned ginger, fresh coriander, and lemon wedges.
- Pair with yogurt raita or pickled onions for a refreshing contrast.
Pro Tips for the Best Nihari
- Use fresh whole spices – Grinding your own Nihari Masala gives the best aroma and flavor.
- Cook low and slow – The longer you simmer, the more flavorful and tender the meat will be.
- In restaurants, big pieces of meat are used to make Nihari. However, if you have tasted Nihari before and tried my recipe, you’ll notice that the taste is exactly the same.
- Removing the excess oil that surfaces on the stew is important before adding the flour slurry. Leaving the oil and then adding the slurry will give the stew a strange texture and make it less appealing.
- We add some of the removed oil to the stew since it has a lot of flavor.
- I roasted the all-purpose flour to give it a nutty flavor and smell similar to that in the Atta.
- The whole spice list is long, but you need them to achieve that authentic flavor. You will only use two tablespoons, and you can save the remaining in a ziplock bag for later use.
- If the stew is too thick, add boiling water to it gradually until you reach the consistency of a velvety smooth texture.
- Different cuts of meat needs different time to cook, having said that, make sure the meat is cooked until it easily shreds. You can add more boiling water while cooking the meat if needed.
- After roasting the flour, you can sift it to get rid of any lumps and make the mixing for the slurry easy.
How to Store Nihari
To keep your Nihari fresh and flavorful, follow these storage tips:
Refrigeration
- Allow the Nihari to cool completely before transferring it to an airtight container.
- Store in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days.
- Reheat gently on the stovetop over low heat, adding a splash of water if needed to maintain the gravy’s consistency.
Freezing
- Nihari freezes well! Pour it into a freezer-safe container, leaving some space for expansion.
- Store in the freezer for up to 2 months.
- To reheat, thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then warm on the stovetop over low heat, stirring occasionally.
Pro Tip: If you plan to freeze Nihari, store the reserved oil separately and add it after reheating for the freshest taste and texture.
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⭐PLEASE RATE AND REVIEW
If you have tried this Nihari recipe and liked it, please give it a 5-star rating and leave a comment below with your experience!
Nihari
Ingredients
- 500 grams lamb meat with bones
Nihari Spices
- 1 tablespoon coriander seeds
- ½ tablespoon anise seeds sunf
- 2 star anise
- ½ tablespoon cumin seeds
- 2 black cardamom
- 4 green cardamom
- 2 bay leaves
- ½ tablespoon black pepper corns
- 1 stick cinnamon medium size
- ½ teaspoon cloves
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
Other ingredients
- 1 tablespoon ginger garlic and green chili paste
- 1 whole onion
- 2 teaspoon kashmiri mirch
- Salt to taste
- 3 tablespoon ghee
- 2 tablespoon oil
- 5 cups of boiling water
Flour Slurry
- 3 tablespoon all purpose flour
- ½ cup water
Instructions
Preparing Nihari Spices
- In a pan, add all the whole nihari spices listed above. Roast the spices over medium-low heat until their aroma wafts through the air. Grind the spices into a fine powder and set aside.
Preparing the Flour Slurry
- In a pan, add the flour and roast it until the raw smell dissipates, resulting in an off-white color. In a small bowl, mix the flour and water until well combined, then set aside.
Making the Nihari
- In a large pan, add the ghee and oil. Once hot, place the whole onion in the pan, followed by the lamb meat. Do not move the meat for 2 minutes. Then, keep mixing the meat and onion until you see light brown patches on the meat.
- Add the ginger, garlic, and green chili paste, stirring well for a few minutes over medium-low heat.
- Season the meat with two tablespoons of the nihari spices and mix thoroughly for about a minute. Then, add the Kashmiri mirch powder and salt, stirring for an additional minute on medium-low heat. Remove the onion from the mixture.
- Pour in 5 cups of boiling water (Be careful, as the mixture might splatter) and stir for a minute. Cover the pan and let the mixture cook for one and a half hours over medium heat.
- Once the meat is cooked and tender, remove as much oil from the surface as possible. Set the oil aside for later use in this recipe.
- Mix the flour slurry, taking a quarter cup of it and gently pouring it over the nihari while stirring on medium-low heat. Take another quarter cup of the slurry and repeat this step.
- Add a heaped quarter teaspoon of the nihari spice to the nihari and mix well.
- Cover the pan and allow the mixture to cook for 15 to 20 minutes over low heat. You may need to add more boiling water to the meat if necessary.
- The nihari should be slightly thick yet smooth. Add about half a cup of the previously removed oil to the nihari. Cover the pan and turn off the heat after a minute.
- Serve with fresh naan bread or white rice.
Video
Notes
- Use fresh whole spices – Grinding your own Nihari Masala gives the best aroma and flavor.
- Cook low and slow – The longer you simmer, the more flavorful and tender the meat will be.
- In restaurants, big pieces of meat are used to make Nihari. However, if you have tasted Nihari before and tried my recipe, you’ll notice that the taste is exactly the same.
- Removing the excess oil that surfaces on the stew is important before adding the flour slurry. Leaving the oil and then adding the slurry will give the stew a strange texture and make it less appealing.
- We add some of the removed oil to the stew since it has a lot of flavor.
- I roasted the all-purpose flour to give it a nutty flavor and smell similar to that in the Atta.
- The whole spice list is long, but you need them to achieve that authentic flavor. You will only use two tablespoons, and you can save the remaining in a ziplock bag for later use.
- If the stew is too thick, add boiling water to it gradually until you reach the consistency of a velvety smooth texture.
- Different cuts of meat needs different time to cook, having said that, make sure the meat is cooked until it easily shreds. You can add more boiling water while cooking the meat if needed.
- After roasting the flour, you can sift it to get rid of any lumps and make the mixing for the slurry easy.
