Nihari Recipe
The Authentic Nihari recipe I’m sharing with you here has melt-in-your-mouth pieces of meat, a velvety gravy that’s perfectly seasoned with Nihari masala, and although it has a long list of spices, it is very easy to make. Nihari’s gravy is thickened using atta (the flour used to make roti and paratha), but I have experimented with all-purpose flour, and the outcome was as good as restaurant-quality gravy.
This recipe came about because one day, I ordered Nihari from a restaurant we regularly buy from, but after waiting for more than half an hour, the order was canceled. My family loves Nihari, and although I didn’t know how to make it back then, that incident encouraged me to try making it at home.
I wanted my homemade Nihari to smell and taste like the restaurant version, so I experimented with the spice blend and restaurant-style cooking. Finally, I’ve achieved the taste and texture I was looking for. With good-quality ingredients and my own freshly ground spice blend, I actually preferred my homemade version.
What is Nihari
Nihari is a rich meat stew (some make it with beef; others use lamb or mutton). It is known for its silky gravy and the meat that’s slow-cooked until it’s so tender it melts in the mouth, plus the vibrant layer of ghee (tari) that covers the surface, which some people keep and others discard.
Nihari originated in the Indian subcontinent and is popular in Pakistan and North India. People once cooked nihari overnight and served it in the morning to provide warmth and energy for everyone, especially laborers. The Nihari name came from the Arabic word “Nahar”, and it means daytime.
Step-by-Step Instructions for Making Nihari
Preparing the Nihari Spice Mix
Toast all the whole spices listed under Nihari Spice Mix in a pan over medium-low heat.
Stir continuously until they release a warm aroma.
Let the spices cool slightly, then grind them into a fine powder. The moment you grind these spices together, you’ll recognize the distinctive aroma of Nihari. This was one thing I paid close attention to when developing my spice blend. I wanted the spices to smell and taste like the Nihari we regularly order from the restaurant, without depending on a ready-made Nihari masala.
Making the Flour Slurry
Traditionally, atta is used to thicken Nihari, but I experimented with all-purpose flour because I wanted to see if I could achieve a similar result. I found that roasting the flour first improved its aroma and gave it a slightly nutty flavor, closer to atta. 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. I use a whole onion rather than sliced onions because I want the flavor without onion pieces in the finished gravy. Sliced onions in Nihari can also add more sweetness than I want. A whole small or medium onion adds flavor while cooking, and I can easily remove it before adding the water. This helps me achieve the smooth gravy I enjoy in restaurant-style Nihari.
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. Before adding the flour slurry, I remove the excess oil that rises to the surface. I found that leaving the oil in while adding the slurry affects the gravy’s texture and makes it less appealing. Once the gravy has thickened and cooked, I return some of the reserved oil because it adds flavor and gives the Nihari its characteristic rich finish.
Thickening the Nihari
Slowly add ¼ cup of the flour slurry while stirring continuously. Add the remaining ¼ cup, stirring well.
Add ¼ teaspoon Nihari Spice Mix to the sauce, cover, and cook for another 15–20 minutes over 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.
How to Serve Nihari
- Nihari is best served with Naan bread or roti. But you can also serve it with white rice.
Pro Tips for the Best Nihari
- Use fresh whole spices, grinding your own Nihari Masala for the best aroma and flavor.
- Cook low and slow; the longer you simmer, the more flavorful and tender the meat will be.
- Remove the excess oil that surfaces on the stew 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.
- I roasted the all-purpose flour to give it a nutty flavor and a smell similar to Atta. After roasting, sift the flour to remove any lumps and make mixing the slurry easier.
- The whole spice list is long, but you need them to achieve that authentic flavor. You will only use two tablespoons, and you can store the rest for later.
- If the stew is too thick, add boiling water gradually until it reaches a velvety-smooth consistency.
- Different cuts of meat need different cooking times; make sure the meat shreds easily. You can add more boiling water while cooking the meat if needed.
How to Store Nihari
To store nihari safely, refrigerate it within two hours of cooking. Store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3-4 days.
Nihari freezes well! Pour it into a freezer-safe container, leaving some space for expansion. You can store it for up to 2 months.
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
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Nihari Recipe
Ingredients
Nihari Spice Mix
- 1 tablespoon coriander seeds
- ½ tablespoon anise seeds
- 2 star anise
- ½ tablespoon cumin seeds
- 2 black cardamom pods
- 4 green cardamom pods
- 2 bay leaves
- ½ tablespoon black peppercorns
- 1 medium cinnamon stick
- ½ teaspoon cloves
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
Other Ingredients
- 500 grams lamb meat with bones
- 1 tablespoon ginger garlic, and green chili paste
- 1 whole small or medium onion
- 2 teaspoons Kashmiri mirch powder
- Salt to taste
- 3 tablespoons ghee
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 5 cups boiling water
Flour Slurry
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- ½ cup water
Instructions
Preparing the Nihari Spice Mix
- Add all the whole spices listed under Nihari Spice Mix to a dry pan. Roast over medium-low heat, stirring continuously, until the spices release their aroma.
- Let the spices cool, then grind them into a fine powder and set aside. Once you grind these spices together, you'll recognize that distinctive Nihari aroma.
Preparing the Flour Slurry
- Add the all-purpose flour to a dry pan and roast over medium-low heat until it turns off-white and loses its raw smell.
- Sift the flour, and transfer to a small bowl, add the water, and mix until you have a smooth slurry. Set aside.
Making the Nihari
- Heat the ghee and oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the whole onion and lamb meat. Let the meat sear for 2 minutes without moving it.
- Stir the meat and onion until you see light brown patches on the meat. Add the ginger, garlic, and green chili paste and stir for a few minutes over medium-low heat.
- Add 2 tablespoons of the prepared Nihari spice mix and stir for about a minute. Add the Kashmiri mirch powder and salt, then stir for another minute. Remove the whole onion from the pot.
- Carefully pour in 5 cups of boiling water, as the mixture may splatter. Stir, cover the pot, and let the Nihari simmer for about 1½ hours, or until the meat is tender.
- Once the meat is tender, skim off as much oil as possible from the surface and set it aside. Removing the oil before adding the flour slurry helps keep the gravy smooth.
- Stir the prepared flour slurry. Slowly pour ¼ cup into the Nihari while stirring continuously over medium-low heat. Add the remaining ¼ cup and continue stirring to prevent lumps.
- Add a heaped ¼ teaspoon of the Nihari spice mix and stir well.
- Cover the pot and cook over low heat for another 15–20 minutes. If the gravy becomes too thick, add a little boiling water until you reach the right consistency.
- The Nihari should have a slightly thick but smooth gravy. Return some of the reserved oil to the pot for extra flavor. Cover and let it cook for another minute, then turn off the heat.
- Serve the Nihari hot with fresh naan, roti, or white rice.
Notes
- Why I use a whole onion: I want the onion to release its flavor while the meat cooks, but I don’t want onion pieces or too much sweetness in the gravy. Using a whole onion makes it easy to remove before adding the water.
- Why I roast the flour: Nihari is traditionally thickened with atta, but I experimented with all-purpose flour. Roasting it gives it a slightly nutty flavor and aroma, closer to atta, while helping me achieve a smooth gravy.
- Use freshly ground spices: The homemade Nihari spice mix gives this dish its familiar aroma and flavor. The recipe makes more spice mix than you need for one batch, so store the remaining spices in an airtight container for later use.
- Cook the meat until tender: Different cuts of meat need different cooking times. The meat should be tender enough to pull apart easily. If needed, add more boiling water and continue simmering until the meat is ready.
- For a smooth gravy: Remove the excess oil before adding the flour slurry. I found that leaving the oil in at this stage affects the texture of the gravy. Some of the reserved oil can be added back after the Nihari has thickened because it carries a lot of flavor.
- Avoid lumps in the slurry: After roasting the flour, sift it before mixing it with water. Make sure the slurry is smooth and stir it again before adding it to the Nihari.
- Adjust the gravy: If the Nihari becomes too thick, gradually add boiling water until you get a smooth, velvety consistency.
