Items needed for the Nihari:

  • One kilograme of boned mutton
  • 2 tablespoons of ginger-garlic paste
  • Two tablespoons of wheat flour (atta) (for thickening)
  • Half a cup of oil or ghee
  • Two big onions, finely sliced
  • Half a cup of whisked yoghurt
  • Add salt to taste.
  • Six to eight cups of water (for slow cooking

Masala Nihari (Spice Blend):

  • Saunf (fennel) seeds: 1 teaspoon
  • 1-tsp coriander seeds
  • 1 teaspoon of cumin seeds
  • 5–6 cloves
  • Green cardamom: 4-5
  • One little piece of cinnamon stick and one black cardamom
  • Eight to ten black peppercorns
  • One bay leaf and a tiny pinch of nutmeg (jaiphal)
  • Mace: one strand (javitri)
  • 1 teaspoon of red chilli powder from Kashmir
  • 1 tsp of turmeric powder
  • Powdered garam masala: 1 teaspoon
  • As a garnish:
  • 2-inch piece of julienned ginger
  • Two to three green chillies (sliced)
  • Chopped fresh coriander leaves: 2 tablespoons
  • slices of lemon: To serve
  • Get the Nihari Masala ready.
  • The following ingredients should be dry-roasted until fragrant: fennel seeds, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, cloves, black and green cardamom, cinnamon, black peppercorns, bay leaf, nutmeg, and mace.
  • Using a mortar and pestle or a spice grinder, crush the roasted spices into a fine powder.
  • Stir in turmeric, garam masala powder, and red chili powder. Put aside.


Sear the Mutton.

  • Heat oil or ghee in a pressure cooker or heavy-bottomed saucepan.
  • Sliced onions should be added and cooked until golden brown.
  • Cook the ginger-garlic paste for one to two minutes, or until the raw scent goes away.
  • Add the pieces of mutton and sear till browned all over.

Use spices when cooking.

  • Add salt and the prepared Nihari masala. Coat the meat evenly with the spices by giving it a good stir.
  • Stirring occasionally, heat for 5 to 7 minutes after adding the whipped yoghurt.

Cook the Nihari slowly.

  • Fill the pot with 6–8 glasses of water, making sure the mutton is well submerged.
  • The meat should be tender and fall off the bone after 3–4 hours of cooking over low heat with a lid on and occasional tossing. (Alternatively, cook for 25 to 30 minutes under pressure.)

Thicken Make the gravy this.

  • To make a smooth slurry, combine 1/4 cup water and wheat flour in a small bowl.
  • To prevent lumps, gradually add the slurry to the nihari while stirring constantly.
  • Continue cooking for ten to fifteen more minutes, or until the gravy thickens to the consistency you want.

Get the garnish ready

  • Set aside after frying the green chilies and julienned ginger in a small amount of ghee.

Serve

  • Pour the hot nihari into dishes for serving.
  • Add some fresh coriander, green chilies, fried ginger, and lemon juice as garnish.
  • Serve with steamed rice, paratha, or naan.