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Beef nihari

Beef slow-cooked for hours in a deeply spiced, silky gravy, then finished with ginger, green chilli and lemon.

  • Serves6
  • Prep20 min
  • Cook4 hr
  • HeatHot

Nihari takes hours but almost no effort: the beef simmers gently until it falls apart and the gravy turns glossy. In Pakistan and North India it's eaten for breakfast, often after cooking all night. Traditionally it's made with beef shank (nalli) for the marrow, but boneless beef works well. Grinding your own nihari masala makes the biggest difference.

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Ingredients

Serves 6
  • For the nihari masala
  • For the beef
  • To serve
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Ask at the counter for1kg boneless beef in large chunks (or beef shank, if we have it in)

Cut: Boneless beef

Method

  1. Make the nihari masala. Toast the fennel, cumin, coriander, peppercorns, cloves and both cardamoms in a dry pan for 2 minutes until fragrant. Cool, grind to a powder and stir in the ground ginger and nutmeg.

  2. Heat the oil in a large, heavy pot and fry the onion for 10 to 12 minutes until golden. Lift out half of it and keep it for the end.

  3. Add the beef and the ginger and garlic pastes. Fry on a high heat for 8 minutes until browned. Stir in the chilli powder, turmeric, salt and 2 tablespoons of the nihari masala and fry for 2 minutes.

  4. Pour in the hot water and bring to the boil, then cover and cook on the lowest heat for 3 to 3½ hours, until the beef breaks apart when you press it with a spoon. Stir now and then and add a little hot water if it gets low.

  5. Whisk the flour into the cold water until smooth. Stir it slowly into the pot and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring, until the gravy is thick and glossy. Stir in the rest of the nihari masala.

  6. Serve in bowls topped with the fried onion you kept, the ginger, green chillies, coriander and a good squeeze of lemon, with naan.

Tips

  • A slow cooker works well. Cook on low for 8 hours in step 4.
  • For the classic red layer on top, spoon off some of the fat at the end, heat it with ½ teaspoon of chilli powder and pour it back over.

Good to know

Make ahead and freezing
Freezes well. Reheat gently with a splash of water.
Heat
Hot. Use fewer chillies for a milder version.

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