Full tutorial video above. Nihari is a hearty beef stew with large chunks of tender fall-apart beef shanks in a silky and mouth watering gravy. This authentic recipe from the Indian subcontinent is so easy and includes slow cooker instructions and tips to lighten it up.
Roast whole spices in a preheated cast iron skillet until fragrant. Allow the spices to cool and grind into fine powder.
Heat oil in a large cooking pot at medium high. Add sliced onions, sauté until golden brown and set it aside.
Rinse the shank meat pieces and pat dry using paper towels. Then rinse the bones and set it aside.
In the same oil, sear the meat shanks at high heat and on all sides. Add ginger, garlic and stir couple minutes until the raw flavor disappears.
Next add paprika, chili powder, turmeric, salt, nihari spice blends, bay leaves and stir. Add the fried onions back to the pot. Pour 6 cups of water, add bones and bring it to a boil. Lower the heat and let it simmer for 2 to 3 hours. Add more water as needed.
When the meat is about 80 percent done, take 1 cup of the cooking liquid into a small bowl and let it cool. In another small bowl take whole wheat flour (atta), whisk in the cooled cooking liquid gradually to make a smooth and thin paste.
Add the paste back to the stew slowly while stirring it quickly to prevent lump formation. (Tip: Like making a thin custard or thickening a soup)
Let the nihari simmer for about 45 minutes until the meat is fall-apart tender (breaks easily with a wooden spoon) and the oil gradually trickles to the surface. The gravy should be thick but of pouring consistency. Discard the bones and bay leaves.
Add a bit more flour or liquid to adjust the consistency as needed. Nihari will thicken as it will cool, so turn off the heat when it reaches about 80 percent of desired thickness. Spoon off excess oil from the top and save it for later.
Serve the beef stew hot, topped with julienned ginger, chopped cilantro and a drizzle of stew oil saved earlier. On the side, serve sliced green chilies and lemon wedges to use as per preference. Enjoy nihari with naan.
Video
Notes
Meat: Beef, lamb and goat shanks are ideal or use cuts with lots of connective tissue. For chicken, use leg quarters. Indian subcontinent/Halal meat stores are familiar with the Nihari meat cut. If not, try shank cross-cuts used for making the Italian Ossobuco.
Bones: Adjust the amount of bones, if using bone-in meat cuts. Use bone broth, if bones aren’t available.
Paprika & Chili Powder: I use paprika for its nice red color but low heat. Use Kashmiri red chili powder instead of that for the same color but more heat. Regular chili powder is more pungent than Kashmiri chili powder.
Branded spice mixes may include salt and chili powder. If using it, be sure to adjust the salt and chili powder accordingly.
Make Ahead: The spice blend can be made in bulk and stored up to 6 months.
Storage: Refrigerate leftovers for 5 to 6 days. Freeze Nihari in small portions for couple months. If stew is too thick when reheating, then add some water to adjust consistency.
Slow Cooker: Nihari is one of the best recipes to make in a slow cooker.
Saute onions, sear meat, cook with ginger, garlic and spices in a cooking pot on the stove (up to step 5 in recipe card above). Then transfer it all to slow cooker.
Add water, stir and slow cook - at low setting for 6 to 8 hours; at high setting for 5 to 6 hours, until meat is fall-apart tender.
Then return to step 6 and complete. Adjust times as per the slow cooker and meat.
Shajeera: These may be referred to as black cumin or black caraway seeds in Indian stores. The labeling is not consistent. Ask your Indian grocer for “shahjeera”.
Seasoned Oil Drizzle: For a nice red color on top, heat some oil and turn off the stove. Then stir in paprika or Kashmiri chili powder. Drizzle this oil on top.
For step by step pictures, ingredient notes and other tips, scroll up the page to the blog post.