Nihari
User Reviews
5
Nihari
Description
The Nihari recipe begins by piercing lamb shanks to allow flavors to penetrate, then browning them in oil for color and depth. A spice blend is freshly ground from whole spices like mace, nutmeg, fennel, bay leaves, and cinnamon, combined with ground ginger, black pepper, salt, and spicy powders. This blend is fried briefly with ginger paste, Kashmiri chili, and paprika, then mixed with crispy fried onions to build a fragrant base.
The lamb and spice mixture are combined in a slow cooker with water, allowing the meat to become tender while absorbing the layers of warm, aromatic spices. The slow cooking concentrates flavors and renders the meat soft enough to pull apart easily, characteristic of the dish's texture and depth.
Nihari is traditionally served as a rich meat stew. Practical tips recommend cutting whole spices into smaller pieces before grinding for a finer spice mix. For longer cooking times, starting on low heat is advised, with flour mixture added near the end to thicken. Substituting cayenne pepper for Kashmiri chili powder adjusts heat as desired.
Ingredients
- 3.5 -4 pounds lamb shank approximately 3 pieces
- 3 brown onion finely sliced, and deep fried until golden brown and crispy, medium
- 2 tablespoons wholemeal flour also known as chapati flour
- 8 tablespoons cooking oil for frying
- 25 fluid ounces water
Nihari masala:
- 1 ½ teaspoon salt or according to taste.
- 2 mace small pieces
- ¼ nutmeg crushed, whole
- 2 ginger peeled and chopped, about 5 cm piece
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 teaspoons fennel seeds whole
- 2 inches cinnamon stick broken into smaller pieces.
- 2-3 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 2 teaspoons kashmiri red chilli powder or cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon paprika red, powdered
Instructions
- Prepare the lamb shanks, wash and dry them. Using a skewer or a fork, pierce the meat all over. This can help the spice and flavour be absorbed better.
- Brown lamb shanks on a skillet/ frying pan with 2 tablespoons oil. Set aside.
- Grind the nutmeg, whole fennel seeds, bay leaves, mace, and cinnamon until you get a fine mixture. You can use a spice grinder or coffee grinder. Add the ginger powder, ground black pepper, and salt. Set aside.
- Fry the ginger paste in 6 tablespoons of oil for about 20 seconds. Then add Kashmiri red chili powder and paprika powder.
- Add the fried onion slices to the spices, followed by the ground spices mixture. Fry for about a minute or until the spices release a delicious aroma. Add about ½ cup of water and stir well.
- Place the lamb shanks in the slow cooker/ crockpot bowl. Then, spoon the spice mixture all over the lamb shanks. Spread it as evenly as possible.
- Pour the remaining water into the bowl and set the microwave/ crockpot to high. Cook on high for about an hour, then turn it to low. Leave to cook for 5 hours. If possible, turn the meat halfway through.
- Mix the wholemeal flour with 3 tablespoons of water until smooth, and then stir it in the nihari gravy. Put the lid back on and cook further on high for an hour or until you see the gravy is simmering again.
- Serve the nihari with crispy fried onions, sliced ginger, lemon and chopped fresh green chillies.
Notes
- Cut mace, bay leaves, and cinnamon into small pieces before grinding for a finer spice blend.
- For extended cooking times, start cooking on low heat from the beginning and add flour mixture about 2 hours before finishing to thicken the stew.
- Replace Kashmiri chili powder with cayenne pepper for a spicier alternative.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 6portions
Amount Per Serving
Calories 1715 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 1g | |
| Calories | 1715kcal | 86% |
| Carbohydrates | 29g | 10% |
| Protein | 164g | 328% |
| Fat | 100g | 154% |
| Saturated Fat | 34g | 170% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 58g | 341% |
| Cholesterol | 595mg | 198% |
| Sodium | 1050mg | 44% |
| Fiber | 3g | 12% |
| Sugar | 3g | 6% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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