Recipe- Try This Classic Pakistani Dish Nihari

There are a few Pakistani recipes that can stand on their own. That don’t need a second fiddle, a side, anything else really except the garnishes that accompany it. Biryani is one such dish, but if I am to be honest than my favourite one dish meal is Nihari. With it’s strong spices, beautifully tender meat, the sourness of the lemon, that bright leafy cilantro. If I had a last meal request it would be Nihari.

Speaking of patience, I used my Instant Pot to make the Nihari twice. The first time I slow cooked it for 5 hours and learnt that staring at it does not make the time go by any faster. The second time I tried it in my IP I pressure cooked it for 50 minutes and naturally released it. Both times the meat was tender and the bones had released their brothiness. I had a slight preference for the slow cooked flavour, but two days after making it the taste difference was negligible.

Ingredients

2 lb Large chunks of beef/veal - 3 inch pieces
1-2 lb bones
2 tbsp salt
1 1/2 tbsp ginger paste
1 1/2 tbsp garlic paste
1 tbsp red chilli powder
1 tbsp kashmiri chilli powder
1 tbsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
Ghee/Oil for cooking
lemon wedges
sliced green chillies
julienned ginger

Nihari Masala

2 tbsp coriander seeds
1.5 tbsp saunf
1/2 tbsp whole black pepper
1/2 tbsp whole cloves
1 tbsp cumin seeds
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp grated nutmeg
2 1-inch cinnamon sticks
1 piece mace
3 black cardamoms
4-6 green cardamoms
1 piece dried ginger
6 whole red chillies (round)
1 tsp kalonji (optiona)

Method

Nihari Masala

* Dry roast all the ingredients in a frying pan (no oil), grind to a powder. Set aside

Cooking

* Heat oil in a large pot

* Thinly slice your onion, fry till golden brown then spread on paper towels to dry. (we will use these at the end)

* Add all the remaining ingredients in the first list and stir fry the meat until its browned and the masala is cooked - about 4-5 minutes

* Then add your Nihari Masala Mix and 7 cups of water and stir well.

* Pressure cook for 45-50 minutes or slow cook for 4.5 hours undisturbed to get beautifully tender meat. For slow cooking stove top, bring the mixture to a boil then let it simmer covered.

* Once the time is up skim any greyish scum that may rise to the top and discard.

* Crush the onions and mix in, bring the nihari to a boil

* If you are serving this another time then set it aside for the nihari to cool.

* When ready to eat then dissolve 1/3 cup atta in 1 cup water and whisk briskly as you add it to the nihari

* The nihari will thicken as it cooks - 10 to 15 minutes

* Adjust consistency per liking (more water or atta+water)

* Heat a few tbsp of oil in a small saucepan and add 1.5 tbsp of kashmiri laal mirch (for colour) and add it on top of the nihari like a tadka/baghaar.