Nihari

Nihari (Pakistani Slow-Simmered Beef Stew)

A rich, deeply spiced overnight stew of beef shank and bone marrow, traditionally served at breakfast with naan across Pakistan and northern India.

Prep

25 min

Cook

480 min

Total

505 min

Serves

6

Difficulty

Medium

Recipe ingredients

• •1.2 kg (2½ lb) beef shank, bone-in, cut into 5 cm (2 in) pieces, with bone marrow
• •60 g (2 oz) bone marrow, or 2 extra marrow bones
• •120 ml (½ cup) neutral oil, or ghee
• •2 g (1 tsp) whole cloves
• •4 g (1 tsp) green cardamom pods
• •1 g (2 in) cinnamon stick
• •2 g (1 tsp) black peppercorns
• •1 g (2) black cardamom pods, optional but traditional
• •1 g bay leaf
• •2 g (1 tbsp) fennel seeds
• •1 g (½ tsp) mace, optional
• •300 g (10 oz) yellow onions, finely sliced
• •30 g (¼ cup) fresh ginger, julienned
• •20 g (¼ cup) garlic cloves, crushed
• •15 g (1 tbsp) Kashmiri red chili powder, adjust to taste
• •5 g (1 tsp) regular red chili powder, for heat
• •10 g (1 tbsp) ground coriander
• •5 g (1 tsp) ground turmeric
• •30 g (⅓ cup) wheat flour (atta), or whole-wheat flour, for thickening
• •250 ml (1 cup) for slurry
• •1.5 L (6 cups) hot water, plus more as needed
• •8 g (1½ tsp) salt, to taste
• •10 g (1 tbsp) garam masala, for finishing
• •10 g (1 tbsp) fresh ginger, julienned, for garnish
• •5 g (2 tbsp) fresh cilantro, chopped, for garnish
• •3 g (1 tsp) green chili, sliced, for garnish
• •5 g (1 tsp) lemon juice, plus wedges to serve

Steps

1. 1 Wrap whole cloves, green and black cardamom, cinnamon, peppercorns, fennel seeds, mace, and bay leaf in a small piece of cheesecloth to make a bouquet garni; set aside.
2. 2 Heat oil or ghee in a heavy pot over medium heat. Add sliced onions and cook, stirring often, for 18–22 minutes until deep golden brown. Do not rush this step; the dark color builds the stew's flavor.
3. 3 Add crushed garlic and 20 g of the julienned ginger; sauté for 2 minutes until fragrant.
4. 4 Stir in Kashmiri chili, regular chili, coriander, and turmeric. Cook 1 minute, then add the beef shank pieces and bone marrow. Turn the heat to medium-high and sear the meat lightly on all sides, about 5 minutes.
5. 5 Pour in 1.5 L hot water, add the spice bundle and salt. Bring to a boil, skimming off any foam that rises.
6. 6 Reduce the heat to the lowest possible setting. Cover the pot with a tight lid and simmer for 6–8 hours, checking every 2 hours and topping up with hot water if the level drops below the meat. The meat is safe and done when it pulls cleanly from the bone and a probe inserted into the thickest part reads at least 85 °C (185 °F) with no pink juices.
7. 7 Whisk the wheat flour with 250 ml cold water to make a smooth slurry. Stir the slurry into the stew and simmer uncovered for 20–30 minutes, until the gravy coats the back of a spoon.
8. 8 Remove the spice bundle. Stir in the garam masala and lemon juice, then taste and adjust salt.
9. 9 To serve, ladle the nihari into deep bowls, making sure each portion gets a piece of marrow. Top with the remaining 10 g julienned ginger, cilantro, and sliced green chili. Serve immediately with hot naan or sheermal, extra lemon wedges, and sliced raw onions if desired.