Nihari

★★★★4.9· 654 ratings

·Serves 4

About this Dish

Pakistan's most celebrated slow-cooked dish — beef or lamb shank braised overnight in a deeply spiced broth of ginger, garlic, coriander and a complex spice blend. Originally eaten by Mughal royalty as a morning meal after Fajr prayers, nihari became the working class breakfast of Old Delhi and Lahore. The bone marrow dissolved into the broth creates an unctuousness unlike any other stew in the world.

IngredientsServes 4

🥩Beef shank with bone-in (or lamb shank), 1.5kg

🧅Large onions, 3, thinly sliced

🫙Ghee or neutral oil, 6 tablespoons

🧄Ginger-garlic paste, 3 tablespoons

🌶️Nihari masala (store-bought or homemade blend of fennel, coriander, cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, dried ginger, red chili), 3 tablespoons

🌿Fresh ginger, one 3-inch piece, julienned, for finishing

🍋Lemon, 2, cut into wedges for serving

🌾Whole wheat flour (atta), 3 tablespoons mixed with half cup cold water into a smooth slurry

🧂Salt, 2 teaspoons or to taste

🌱Fresh coriander and green chilies, a generous handful, for garnish

Method

Heat ghee in a large heavy-bottomed pot over high heat and fry the sliced onions until they are deeply golden brown — this takes patience, about 20 minutes, but these caramelised onions are the flavour backbone of your nihari so don't rush it.

Add the ginger-garlic paste and stir-fry for 2 minutes until the raw smell disappears, then add the nihari masala and salt, frying everything together for another minute until fragrant and slightly darkened.

Add the beef shanks and sear them in the spiced ghee for 4-5 minutes, turning to coat every surface well in the masala.

Pour in enough water to fully submerge the meat — roughly 1.5 litres — bring to a boil, then reduce heat to the lowest possible setting, cover tightly with a lid and let it cook for at least 4 hours, or ideally overnight; the meat should be falling off the bone and the marrow should have dissolved into the broth.

Slowly pour the flour slurry into the simmering broth while stirring constantly — this thickens the nihari to its characteristic silky, velvety consistency; simmer uncovered for a further 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally so the bottom doesn't catch.

Taste and adjust salt, then ladle into deep bowls and finish with a tangle of fresh julienned ginger, torn coriander leaves, sliced green chilies, and a squeeze of lemon.

Serve immediately with warm naan or khamiri roti for dipping into that extraordinary bone-marrow-enriched broth.

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