Nihari (نہاری)

Nihari is one of the great slow-cooked dishes of Mughal India, born in the royal kitchens of Delhi in the late 18th century. The name derives from the Arabic nahar (morning), as the dish was traditionally simmered overnight and eaten at dawn by labourers and nobles alike. Whole bone-in beef shanks — often supplemented with marrow bones — are braised for many hours in a deeply spiced gravy thick with toasted flour and fragrant with kewra water. Today Nihari is the definitive late-night street food of Lahore and Old Delhi, served in iron karahis with a scatter of ginger julienne, fried onions, fresh coriander, and green chillies.

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 1.2 kg (2.6 lb) bone-in beef shank, cut into 5 cm (2-inch) pieces
• 200 g (7 oz) beef marrow bones
• 4 tbsp ghee or neutral oil
• 2 large onions, thinly sliced
• 2 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
• 3 tbsp whole wheat flour (atta)
• 1 litre (4 cups) beef or bone broth
• 2 tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• 1 tsp garam masala
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp ground mace
• 1/2 tsp ground cardamom
• Salt to taste
• 1 tsp kewra (screwpine) water or rose water

To serve: julienned fresh ginger, sliced green chillies, crispy fried onions, fresh coriander, lemon wedges, warm naan or sheermal

Instructions

1. Heat ghee in a heavy pot over high heat. Fry onions until deep golden-brown, 15–18 minutes. Remove half and set aside for garnish.
2. Add ginger-garlic paste to the remaining onions; fry 2 minutes until fragrant.
3. Add all dry spices except garam masala. Stir 30 seconds, then add the beef shank and marrow bones. Sear on all sides for 5 minutes total.
4. Whisk the flour into 250 ml (1 cup) of the broth until smooth, then pour into the pot along with the remaining broth. Bring to a boil, skimming any foam.
5. Reduce heat to the lowest setting, cover tightly, and simmer for 3–4 hours until the meat falls from the bone. Alternatively, pressure-cook on low for 1 hour 15 minutes.
6. Stir in garam masala and kewra water. Taste and adjust salt. The gravy should be thick and silky — if thin, simmer uncovered for 10–15 minutes.
7. Serve in deep bowls with reserved fried onions, ginger julienne, chillies, coriander, and a squeeze of lemon.

Cook's Notes: Nihari improves enormously the next day once the spices bloom further overnight. Extract the marrow with a thin spoon and stir it back into the gravy for extra richness. Kewra water is available at South Asian grocery stores.