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Beef Nihari Recipe (Slow-Cooked Pakistani Style)

A deep, glossy Pakistani beef nihari: bone-in shank simmered for hours with warm spices, thickened with wheat flour and finished with ginger and lemon.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 4 hours
Total Time 4 hours 20 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 kg beef shank, bone-in cut into large pieces
  • 0.5 cup ghee or oil
  • 2 large onions thinly sliced
  • 2 tbsp ginger paste
  • 1 tbsp garlic paste
  • 1.5 tsp Kashmiri red chili powder
  • 0.5 tsp turmeric powder
  • 1 tbsp coriander powder
  • 2 tsp salt adjust to taste
  • 1 tbsp fennel seeds ground
  • 1 tsp dried ginger powder
  • 1 tsp black pepper ground
  • 4 green cardamom pods
  • 4 cloves
  • 1 cinnamon stick small
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 8 cup hot water
  • 1/2 cup whole wheat flour (atta) whisked with 1 1/2 cups cold water
  • 2 inch fresh ginger cut into thin strips, to garnish
  • 4 green chilies sliced, to garnish
  • 0.25 cup fresh coriander chopped, to garnish
  • 1 lemon cut into wedges

Method
 

  1. Heat the ghee in a heavy pot over medium heat. Fry the sliced onions, stirring often, until light golden, about 12 minutes.
  2. Add the beef, ginger paste and garlic paste. Sauté on medium-high heat for 8 to 10 minutes until the meat changes colour and the raw smell is gone.
  3. Add the chili powder, turmeric, coriander powder, salt, ground fennel, dried ginger, black pepper, cardamom, cloves, cinnamon and bay leaves. Stir for 2 minutes.
  4. Pour in the hot water and bring to a boil. Skim off any foam from the top.
  5. Reduce the heat to the lowest setting, cover and cook for 3.5 to 4 hours until the meat is very tender and nearly falling off the bone. In a pressure cooker, use 5 cups of water and cook 60 to 70 minutes at high pressure.
  6. Whisk the flour and cold water until smooth. Pour it into the pot slowly while stirring constantly.
  7. Simmer uncovered for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring often, until the gravy is thick and glossy and red oil floats on top.
  8. Serve hot, topped with ginger strips, green chilies, coriander and a squeeze of lemon.

Notes

Taste and adjust salt after the gravy thickens. Leftover nihari tastes even better the next day.