Nihari Recipe

This classic Nihari recipe is so easy to make and so delicious. Tender mutton is cooked in a rich and savory gravy for a one-pot hearty and flavor-packed meal. Served with naan or any rustic bread, it is a comfort food at its best. It is a popular meat stew originated in the city of Lucknow, North India. Traditionally bone-in meat is slow cooked with onions and a special, unique spice blend known as Nihari Masala.

About Nihari

It is believed, the name “Nihari” originated from the Arabic term “Nahar” meaning “morning”. As the name says, it was eaten as a morning meal during the Mughal period. This super delicious spicy slow cooked dish is said to be nourishing and warming, during the cold days. Fast forward to today, we know it – as one of India’s most popular meat dishes. It’s popularity has spread all over the Indian sub-continent and you will find plenty of variations.

In this post I share, the recipe to make the best Nihari along with the special masala. It is loosely adapted from Chef. Ranveer Brar.

About this Recipe

This is one of those rare Indian dishes that requires very little preparation and minimal effort. But it takes time, because we slow-cook the meat on a stovetop. However the cook time is easily customizable to your preference. To cut-down the time, you may cook this on a medium heat instead of low heat, or use a pressure cooker or a instant pot.

But I love slow-cooking this for deeper flavors. This recipe uses a long-list of ingredients and it is from here you get those fabulous flavors. Some of the ingredients may not be easily available outside India, so you may leave them out or use a close substitute if possible.

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Photo Guide

How to make Nihari (Stepwise Photos)

This recipe uses ½ kg (1.1 lbs.) bone-in mutton (goat or lamb) and it serves 4. You can double or triple the recipe if you want.

Make the Masala

1. Here are the spices and other ingredients required. If you want to keep some of the spices whole, read my pro-tips below.

• 2 to 3 bay leaves (1 gram) 
• 1½ tablespoon coriander seed
• 1 black cardamom (1 gram) 
• 1 teaspoon black pepper (3 grams, more if you want) 
• 6 cloves (or 8 very small)
• 3 inches Ceylon cinnamon piece (2 grams, use 1 inch piece if using cassia)
• 8 green cardamom (½ teaspoon, 1 gram)
• 1 strand mace (use half of whole mace for stronger flavor)
• ½ teaspoon all-spice (kabab chini)
• ¾ inch long pepper (pipali)
• ¾ teaspoon shahi jeera (Indian caraway, 2 grams)
• ¾ teaspoon fennel seeds (2 grams)
• ¾ gram stone flower (1 portion) 
• 1 small star anise (1 gram) 
• ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
• 1½ tablespoons organic dried rose petals (1½ grams or use 1 tsp rose water at the finishing stage) 
• ½ inch dried galangal (not pictured, sub with ⅓ tsp ground ginger but different flavor)
• 5 to 6 vetiver roots/khus (not pictured)

2. Add all the above spices except rose petals to a heavy bottom pan. If you want you may open up the cardamoms, use both the shell and the seeds. Toast on a low heat for 3 to 5 mins, until aromatic & really crunchy. Transfer to a wide plate to cool down.

3. Add rose petals and toast just until slightly hot. Turn off.

4. Add all the ingredients to a grinder jar.

5. Make a fine powder. Reserve 2 tablespoons aside and add the rose petals to the grinder. Grind this as well. Keep them covered separately. You can make this ahead and store for 3 months in the refrigerator.

Make the Stew

6. To make the stew, you need the following

• 1½ teaspoon sea salt (divided, adjust as needed)
• 1½ teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder (adjust to heat preference, more if you want)
• ½ teaspoon turmeric
• ¼ cup ghee or oil (mustard oil if you want, I use ghee)
• 2 cups onions sliced thin (250 grams)
• ¾ tablespoon ginger grated/paste
• ¾ tablespoon garlic pressed/grate/paste

7. Pour ghee or oil to a deep pot. (If using mustard oil, let it smoke up first and then reduce the heat.) Add onions and saute until light golden. Add the mutton and saute on medium for 6 to 7 mins.

8. Add the meat and saute on medium for 6 to 7 mins.

9. Stir in the ginger garlic and saute for 1 minute until the raw smell goes away.

10. Turn down the heat. Add turmeric, red chili, 1 tsp salt and half of the nihari masala (2 tbsps reserved).

11. Stir and cook for a minute.

12. Pour 5 to 6 cups hot water (not boiling) and give a good stir. Bring to a gentle boil. Start with less 5 cups and add more as you cook, only if required (1 cup more).

13. Cover and simmer on a low heat, until the meat is tender and fully cooked. The time taken depends on the heat level. It takes about 1 hour 45 mins if you cook on a medium heat. If you cook on a low heat it takes about 2 hours 45 mins. Timing can vary depending on the meat, your cookware and your source of heat. So keep an eye around 1 hour 45 mins.

14. Meanwhile, get the following ingredients ready:

• ½ to ¾ cup plain yogurt /curd (optional, may omit but adds flavor)
• ¼ cup wheat flour
• Rest of the nihari masala (with rose petals)
• 1 cup water

15, Stir together the flour, nihari masala and yogurt. Pour water little by little in batches and make a lump-free slurry. Avoid pouring all the water at one time, it can make lumps.

16. This is how mine was looking after 2 hours, muton was fully tender. (FYI – I used 6 cups water to cook meat and 1 cup to make slurry. Total 7 cups + yogurt.)

A lot of people remove the meat and keep aside before adding the slurry. If you want you may do that to avoid overcooking (depends on your meat & preference). I prefer to leave it in & it won’t get mushy.

17. Stir in the wheat flour slurry and mix well. Bring it to a boil and cover again. Simmer for 30 minutes.

18. It is ready when you see traces of fats over the gravy & it turns slightly thick yet of pouring consistency. It will thicken further upon cooling. If you feel it is runny, cook uncovered on a medium flame to evaporate the liquid a little. Taste test and add salt.

19. Cover and rest for a while. Garnish with ginger juliennes (1 inch), handful of chopped coriander leaves and 2 sliced green chilies. If you want you may heat 1 tablespoon ghee or butter and pour it over the Nihari. I did not use any because it already had a layer of ghee & fats.

This dish is best served hot or at least warm with a squeeze of lemon. Serve with Tandoori Roti, Butter Naan or any breads of choice. This Onion Salad, Kachumber or Cucumber Salad go well on the side.

Pro Tips

• Some Lucknowi foods like biryani and nihari, are flavored with high amounts of mace. However if you are new to the cuisine you may feel it to be too strong. So start with 1 to 2 strands as mentioned in the recipe. But I use 1 full mace for stronger flavor.
• We don’t like too many whole spices in this dish so I prefer to grind all of them. If you want you may keep some of them in the whole form and add to the tempering. Spices like bay leaf, black cardamom, half of the green cardamoms and star anise may be kept whole.
• The spices may look like a lot but since this is cooked for long time, the flavors tone down considerably.
• I have not used galangal and ground ginger is not a substitute but you may use it if you prefer.
• The spices make 4.5 tbsps of nihari masala and I have used up fully. If you prefer less spices due to diet restrictions, cut down to 3 tbsps.
• Be cautious with the use of long pepper, too much can leave an aftertaste and side effects.

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