Hello Friends,
People have been asking me about my super easy Nihari recipe, and I figured if I just post it on the blog, you all can enjoy from it. My favorite spice mix brand is Shan, so basically I would like to give my recipe credit to Shan Masala brand :)....without you, my nihari is Bland :)
So here we go, for this recipe I'm going to use the few basic steps, and you can have a yummy Nihari for dinner with very little fuss.
On a note, I usually make it with boneless nihari beef, but if you like to go for blocked arteries, then you can add beef bones, brain and what not....for those who like to have a healthy yet, yummy meal, use chicken with bones, and remember, chicken cooks faster than beef, so you'll most likely be done with it within an hour, but seriously chicken nihari taste just as good as beef, for those of you who are making faces right now...if my brother ever bother to read this, he's the one who will "boo" me for mentioning chicken and Nihari in one sentence
Here is what you'll need...in order
Oil
2-3 cinnamon sticks
5-6 whole black pepper seeds
5-6 whole cloves
3-4 tbsp Paprika
2-3 tbsp Hot chilli powder
1 packet Shan Nihari Masala
3-4 tbsp Ginger and Garlic paste
Salt as per taste
2 tbsp Saunf (fennel seeds) whole
2 lbs of beef--Nihari Meat....again, I prefer boneless meat
2 cups of Wheat flour paste (thinner than pancake batter, no lumps please, you may not use up all depending on the thickness you prefer, or you may also end up making more...)
Green Chillies Sliced about 2 medium or 1 big jalapeno
Ginger Julienne cut about 2 tbsp
For Garnish:
Julienne Ginger Lemon wedges
Chopped Cilantro
sliced Green Chillies
Nihari Directions:
In a nice big pot, heat oil (not to a burning point), add cinnamon sticks, whole black peppers and clove, let it sit for few seconds. Add paprika, hot chilli powder, shaan masala (as to your spiciness, I use 3/4 of a packet, you can always add more later), ginger garlic past, salt and saunf. stir well until all the spices mixed up well and cook for few seconds, sprinkle some water so that masala doesn't stick to the bottom. Add meat, and mix it up with spices well. Stir and let it cook for few min, until all the meat turns brown. Add enough water for nihari gravy, you can add enough till all the meat disappears under water. Stir, cover and let it cook over med heat. check after an hour, stir again, and cover and let it cook until meat is completely tender and all the way cooked, usually takes 3 hrs all together.
Remove meat, and put it aside, add Flour paste gradually and stir constantly to ensure no lumps are formed in gravy. Once you feel that Nihari has a consistency and thickness that you like, add meat back in the pot, taste the nihari and make sure it has enough salt, and it taste the way you prefer, if not, this is the point where you can add more shan nihari masala and salt and chilli powder to make it your way.
Once the nihari taste the way you like it, cover and let it cook for half hour on low/med heat.
Meanwhile in a bowl, combine the following ingredients...for "Tarka" or I should say Finale :)
Salt about 1/2 tsp
Shan Nihari Masala about 2-3 tbsp
Paprika about 1-2 tbsp
Hot chilli powder about 1-1 1/2 tbsp
Saunf about 1-2 tbsp grounded
1 cup oil, more if you like
Ginger Julienned, and green chillies sliced
When Nihari is cooked...follow the instruction below
Heat Oil, add all the above ingredients for tarka, mix and let it bubble for few seconds, make sure oil is not too hot for it to burn the dry spices...remove from heat, pour it over Nihari, I just love that swishing sound it makes :), cover, and let it simmer for few min. Turn off the burner, heat some Tandoori Roti, Garnish and enjoy...
Have you ever tried Nihari with french bread??? Good Stuff....
I hope yours turn out as good as mine does...I hope your appetite increases and you enjoy every bite of it, and with every bite you remember my blog and send some good thoughts my way :)....
Till the next time....perhaps with more Shan Masala recipe, properly modified :)
