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Uttarpradesh · Breakfast

Nihari (Lucknow Slow-Cooked Breakfast Stew)

Traditional 3. Nihari recipe

🧺 Ingredients

• Mutton (bone-in), cut into 4-5cm pieces: 500g
• Ghee: 60ml
• Onions, sliced thinly: 100g
• Ginger-garlic paste: 15g
• Kashmiri red chili powder: 7g
• Turmeric powder: 2.5g
• Coriander powder: 3g
• Cumin powder: 2g
• Garam masala powder: 2g
• Salt: 7g
• Wheat flour: 30g
• Yogurt: 80ml
• Water: 1000ml
• Cloves: 4
• Green cardamom: 3
• Black cardamom: 1
• Cinnamon stick: 2cm
• Bay leaf: 1
• Black peppercorns: 8
• After 1:45 cooking: Meat breaks easily when pressed with spoon; gravy should be thick, covering meat
• Color: Deep reddish-brown from slow cooking and caramelization

👩‍🍳 How to make Nihari

1. Heat ghee in a heavy-bottomed pot (cast iron preferred) at medium heat
2. When ghee is hot (it will shimmer), add sliced onions
3. Fry onions 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they turn deep golden-brown and crispy
4. Remove half the fried onions, set aside for garnish; keep half in pot
5. Add mutton pieces to remaining onions in pot, increase heat to medium-high
6. Stir and cook mutton 5-6 minutes until pieces are sealed (brown on all sides)
7. Add ginger-garlic paste, cook 1 minute (raw smell should disappear)
8. Reduce heat to medium, add all powder spices one by one: turmeric, then red chili, coriander, cumin, garam masala
9. Stir each spice 15-20 seconds after adding (spices will release aromatic oils)
10. Pour yogurt, stir well to coat meat evenly
11. Add whole spices (cloves, cardamom, cinnamon, bay leaf, peppercorns)
12. Pour 1000ml water, bring to boil (heat on high, takes 4-5 minutes)
13. Once boiling, reduce heat to low (barely a simmer)
14. Cover pot, cook 1 hour 45 minutes, stirring every 20 minutes
15. After 1 hour 45 minutes: meat should be very tender, gravy should be reduced to 500ml
16. In a separate bowl, mix wheat flour with yogurt to create a smooth slurry (no lumps)
17. Stir flour-yogurt slurry into the nihari, stirring constantly for 1 minute
18. Increase heat to medium, simmer uncovered 25-30 minutes
19. Stir frequently; gravy will become creamy and thick, coating meat pieces

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