Beef Nihari
Learn how to make delicious beef nihari at home with this step by step guide and pictures. Perfect for a special night in or a cozy meal.
Equipment
- Small skillet (For roasting the spices)
- Spice grinder or mortar and pestle (For grinding the spices)
- large frying pan (For sautéing the beef)
- Large stew pot or Dutch oven
- Measuring spoons and cups
Ingredients
- 2 lb beef shank (cut into 2 to 3-inch chunks)
- 1 lb marrow bones (optional; for better flavor)
- 4 tbsps ghee (or cooking oil)
- 1 onion thinly sliced
- 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
Spices to be ground:
- 1 tbsp black peppercorns
- 1 tbsp coriander seeds
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 3 bay leaves
- 1 star anise
- 4 cardamom pods
- 2 black cardamoms
- 1 cinnamon stick
- ½ piece nutmeg
- 1 mace
Spices to be added to the beef:
- 1½ tbsps ground spices (see ingredients above)
- 1½ tbsp red chili powder (use 1 tbsp if you want your beef nihari to be less spicy)
- 2 tsp turmeric powder
- 1 tsp salt (Add 1 to 2 tsps of salt to your taste)
- hot water
- sugar (Add towards the end of cooking and adjust to your taste.)
Other ingredients:
- 2 tbsps flour
- ½ cup cold water
- 2 tbsps Fresh ginger (julienned)
- ¼ cup Fresh cilantro (chopped)
- 1 lime (wedged)
Instructions
- Place a small dry skillet or frying pan over medium heat. Add all the spices to be ground (see ingredient list above) to the pan. Stir the spices frequently for 2-3 minutes, or until they become fragrant. Be careful not to burn them. The goal is to release the essential oils and enhance the aroma.
- After toasting, remove the spices from the skillet and let them cool. Transfer the toasted spices to a spice grinder (or use a mortar and pestle) and grind them into a fine powder. For this dish, you will need only 1½ tablespoons of the ground spice powder. Store any remaining powder in an airtight container for future use.
- Heat ghee (or cooking oil) in a large pan. Add sliced onions and ginger-garlic paste and sauté until golden brown.
- Add the beef pieces and bones cook on medium high heat until browned.
- Add the ground spices (made in step 2), red chili powder, turmeric, and salt. Stir well to evenly coat the beef and bones with the spices. If using a Dutch oven, transfer everything to it at this point.
- Pour in hot water (*see note 1 below) until cover the meat, bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 2 to 3 hours, or until the beef is tender.
- In a small bowl, mix flour with water to make a smooth slurry. Slowly add this slurry to the simmering Nihari while stirring continuously. Allow it to cook until the gravy reaches your desired thickness.
- Serve the beef nihari hot with naan or rice, garnished with fresh ginger, cilantro, and lemon wedges.
Video
Notes
1. Add hot water to hot meat
In step 6, ensure that you add hot water to the sautéed beef. Adding cold water to hot meat can cause it to shrink, become tough, and absorb less flavor from the spices. Hot water helps maintain a steady, optimal cooking temperature, keeping the meat tender.
On the other hand, when blanching raw meat, start with cold water. Cold water helps to draw out and dissolve impurities, which can then be skimmed off as the water heats. If you start with hot water, the impurities might coagulate too quickly and become more difficult to remove.