Beef Nihari

Ingredients

• 1kg beef shank or stewing beef, cut into chunks
• 3 tbsp oil or ghee
• 2 onions, thinly sliced
• 2 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
• 3 tbsp nihari masala
• 1 tsp red chilli powder
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• 3 tbsp plain flour
• 1.5 litres water or stock
• Salt to taste
• To serve: sliced ginger, green chilli, lemon, fresh coriander

Instructions

1. Heat the oil and fry the onions until deep golden, then lift out half and reserve for the top.
2. Add the ginger-garlic paste to the pan and cook for a minute.
3. Stir in the nihari masala, chilli powder, turmeric and salt.
4. Add the beef and sear, turning, until coated in spice and lightly browned.
5. Pour in the water, bring to a boil, then cover and simmer very gently for 2 to 2.5 hours until the beef is fork-tender.
6. Mix the flour with a little cold water to a smooth paste and stir it in, then simmer another 15 minutes until the gravy is glossy and thick.
7. Top with the reserved fried onions and serve with all the trimmings.

Serving suggestions

• Serve with naan, sliced ginger, green chilli and a wedge of lemon.

Storage & reheating

Tastes even better the next day. Keeps for 3 days in the fridge and freezes well for up to 2 months.

Nutrition

Nutrition information is not yet available for this recipe. Values vary with portion size and exact ingredients — we will add verified figures here soon.

Frequently asked questions