A slow-cooked preparation with shanks of beef, lamb or mutton in an aromatic, flavourful gravy made with a melange of spices. Each one is dry roasted before grinding to a powder. The shanks are seared in clarified butter (ghee) and then combined with the spice powders. Cooked for a couple of hours with either stock or water until the meat is tender and draws away from the bone. Towards the end of the cooking process, fried onions along with slivers of ginger are added. To thicken the gravy, a mixture of whole wheat flour and water are mixed in, which also adds a nice sheen. Dash of lemon juice enhances the flavour of the dish. Scrumptious, fragrant, served with tandoori roti or naan.
Traditionally, this dish is cooked overnight or for 6 to 8 hours and eaten in the early hours of morning. Originated from the kitchens of Muslim Nawabs who ate Nihari early in the morning after sunrise Fajr prayers. They took a long nap before going to Zhuhr (afternoon Muslim prayers). As time went by, nalli nihari became popular and was served up at various restaurants as a breakfast item.
The colour, including heat of the dish depends on the quantity and type of red chillies. Level of spiciness can be adjusted by reducing the amount. Dry roasting the various spices fills the entire kitchen with a delightful aroma. A robust, flavourful stew with the meat falling off the bone and melting-in-your-mouth. A family favourite!!!
Traditionally, this dish is cooked overnight or for 6 to 8 hours and eaten in the early hours of morning. Originated from the kitchens of Muslim Nawabs who ate Nihari early in the morning after sunrise Fajr prayers. They took a long nap before going to Zhuhr (afternoon Muslim prayers). As time went by, nalli nihari became popular and was served up at various restaurants as a breakfast item.
The colour, including heat of the dish depends on the quantity and type of red chillies. Level of spiciness can be adjusted by reducing the amount. Dry roasting the various spices fills the entire kitchen with a delightful aroma. A robust, flavourful stew with the meat falling off the bone and melting-in-your-mouth. A family favourite!!!
Nalli Nihari (Lamb-on-the-Bone Stew)
(Serves 6)
Ingredients:
6 lamb shanks (4 lbs or 2 kgs)
1 large onion (thinly sliced)
1” ginger (julienned into thin strips)
1 tablespoon whole wheat flour dissolved in 1/2 cup water
4 cups of bone stock or water
juice of half a lemon
few coriander leaves (chopped)
2 tablespoons ghee
2 tablespoons oil
salt
Dry roast and grind to a fine powder
10 red dried Kashmiri chillies
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
1/2 teaspoon shahjeera
10 whole black peppercorns
1 blade of mace
2 cinnamon sticks (1.5” each)
8 cloves
4 green cardamoms
1 black cardamoms
5 petals of star anise
1 teaspoon poppy seeds (khus khus)
1 teaspoon dried ginger powder
1 bay leaf
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg powder
Method:
Wash lamb shanks and season with salt.
Fry sliced onion in 2 tablespoons of oil till golden brown. Set aside.
In a wide bottomed pan, heat ghee and sear the shanks on all sides in batches of three and place in a dish.
Once meat is well seared, add the entire spice powder and fry on low heat. Transfer the shanks back into the pan and coat well with the spices. Add the stock or water, cover and cook on slow fire for two hours till shanks are tender and meat drawing away from the bone.
Towards the end, stir in fried onions and ginger leaving half of each for garnishing. Simmer for few minutes and then mix in the wheat flour liquid till smooth. Let the gravy continue to simmer and thicken. Check for seasoning, add salt and lemon juice.
Serve garnished with reserved fried onions, ginger and coriander leaves.
(Serves 6)
Ingredients:
6 lamb shanks (4 lbs or 2 kgs)
1 large onion (thinly sliced)
1” ginger (julienned into thin strips)
1 tablespoon whole wheat flour dissolved in 1/2 cup water
4 cups of bone stock or water
juice of half a lemon
few coriander leaves (chopped)
2 tablespoons ghee
2 tablespoons oil
salt
Dry roast and grind to a fine powder
10 red dried Kashmiri chillies
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
1/2 teaspoon shahjeera
10 whole black peppercorns
1 blade of mace
2 cinnamon sticks (1.5” each)
8 cloves
4 green cardamoms
1 black cardamoms
5 petals of star anise
1 teaspoon poppy seeds (khus khus)
1 teaspoon dried ginger powder
1 bay leaf
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg powder
Method:
Wash lamb shanks and season with salt.
Fry sliced onion in 2 tablespoons of oil till golden brown. Set aside.
In a wide bottomed pan, heat ghee and sear the shanks on all sides in batches of three and place in a dish.
Once meat is well seared, add the entire spice powder and fry on low heat. Transfer the shanks back into the pan and coat well with the spices. Add the stock or water, cover and cook on slow fire for two hours till shanks are tender and meat drawing away from the bone.
Towards the end, stir in fried onions and ginger leaving half of each for garnishing. Simmer for few minutes and then mix in the wheat flour liquid till smooth. Let the gravy continue to simmer and thicken. Check for seasoning, add salt and lemon juice.
Serve garnished with reserved fried onions, ginger and coriander leaves.
