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5.0 from 93 votes

Nihari Recipe (Pakistani Beef Shank Stew)

This Nihari (Pakistani Beef Shank Stew) is a traditional slow-cooked one-pot meal made with a beef shank in a rich, spicy gravy.

Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
4 hrs
Additional Time
30 mins
Total Time
4 hrs 45 mins
Servings: 10 people
Calories: 459 kcal
Course: Main Course , Breakfast
Cuisine: Indian , Pakistani

Ingredients

Nihari Masala Mix (For 5 pounds of meat)
  • 10 whole green cardamom
  • 2 whole black cardamom
  • 3 whole cinnamon sticks
  • 2 whole star anise
  • 10 whole cloves
  • 3 tablespoon coriander seeds
  • 1 tablespoon cumin seeds
  • 3 tablespoon fennel seeds
  • 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
  • ½ piece nutmeg
  • 1 piece mace
  • 4 whole long black pepper (Piper Longum) (see notes)
  • ½ teaspoon black cumin seeds
  • 6 whole bay leaves
  • 4 whole red dried chilies
  • 1 teaspoon ginger powder
  • 3 teaspoon salt
  • 4 teaspoon red chili powder
  • 2 teaspoon turmeric powder
  • 2 teaspoon kashmiri chili powder
The Ingredients
  • 5 lb beef shank (see notes)
  • 1 cup cooking oil
  • 5 tablespoon garlic paste
  • 12 cups water
  • 1 cup whole wheat flour (see notes)
  • 2 whole onions
The Garnish
  • 2 whole lemons
  • ½ cup cilantro
  • 2 whole green chillies (see notes)
  • 2 inch ginger piece

Instructions

Nihari Masala Mix (For 5 pounds of meat)
    Cup of Yum
  1. Dry roast all of the whole spices in a nonstick frying pan for 2-5 minutes. Constantly stir to prevent burning and remove them from the pan as soon as they release their aroma.
  2. Grind all of these spices to a fine powder and then mix them with the powder spices (see notes).
Nihari
  1. Heat ½ cup cooking oil in your pot.
  2. Add and saute the garlic for 2-3 minutes.
  3. Add the meat and the nalli (marrow bones) and roast till they are no longer red.
  4. Add the ground spices and 10 cups of water and bring the mixture to a boil
  5. Lower heat to medium and simmer for 4 hours.
  6. Prepare a slurry with the remaining 2 cups of water and durum flour and add to the Nihari, constantly stirring to prevent any clumps forming. Cover and simmer for another 15 minutes (see notes)
  7. Thinly slice and fry the onions in a ¼ cup of oil to a dark brown. Pour the onions and oil on the Nihari and simmer for another 15 minutes.
Garnish
  1. Quarter the lemons.
  2. Finely chop the cilantro.
  3. Thinly slice the ginger.
  4. Finely chop the green chilies.

Notes

  • Long Pepper -  Also known as Piper Longum and Pippali, is an Indian Long Pepper that is the primary ingredient in Nihari. You just won't get that authentic taste without it in the mix so I highly recommend sourcing it from Amazon and using it.
  • Beef Shank - The best meat to use for the Nihari is bone-in Beef Shank. Make sure to buy and use marrow bones as well. This is what really gives the stew its rich flavor and a special trip to the butcher will be well worth your effort.
  • The flour - Use Durum wheat flour, known as "Atta" for this recipe. This is wholemeal wheat flour and has a distinctly nutty taste. The recipe will be better with this, but if you can't source it then use regular wheat flour.
  • Serrano Chilies - The closest to the Pakistani chilies I grew up eating, these are my go-to when cooking all of my curries. I find that other chili varieties just don't give that authenticity of flavor to my food. If you find them too spicy, you can deseed them.
  • Spice grinder - I use a coffee grinder as my spice grinder and find that it grinds all my spices quickly and efficiently. 
  • Preparing the slurry - Make sure to prepare the flour slurry with hot water to prevent the flour from clumping. 

Nutrition Information

Serving 1person Calories 459kcal (23%) Carbohydrates 18g (6%) Protein 33g (66%) Fat 29g (45%) Saturated Fat 4g (20%) Polyunsaturated Fat 7g Monounsaturated Fat 17g Trans Fat 0.1g Cholesterol 53mg (18%) Sodium 827mg (34%) Potassium 760mg (22%) Fiber 5g (20%) Sugar 1g (2%) Vitamin A 575IU (12%) Vitamin C 4mg (4%) Calcium 123mg (12%) Iron 6mg (33%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 10people

Amount Per Serving

Calories 459

% Daily Value*

Serving 1person
Calories 459kcal 23%
Carbohydrates 18g 6%
Protein 33g 66%
Fat 29g 45%
Saturated Fat 4g 20%
Polyunsaturated Fat 7g 41%
Monounsaturated Fat 17g 85%
Trans Fat 0.1g 5%
Cholesterol 53mg 18%
Sodium 827mg 34%
Potassium 760mg 16%
Fiber 5g 20%
Sugar 1g 2%
Vitamin A 575IU 12%
Vitamin C 4mg 4%
Calcium 123mg 12%
Iron 6mg 33%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.