Nalli Nihari is a slow-cooked stew with bone-in mutton pieces, preferably from the shank. The marrow leaves the bones and is mixed with the gravy, giving the stew a rich flavour. The mutton turns soft and juicy when it is done. Legends say that Nalli Nihari was cooked all night long and served to the Mughal King in the morning after the first prayer. Here we share a Nalli Nihari recipe that you can make at home. Check it out!
| Prep Time | 10 minutes |
| Cook Time | 2 hours |
| Servings |
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- 2 tsp Coriander Seeds
- 2 tsp fennel seeds
- 2 cardamom
- 3-4 green cardamom seeds
- 2 tsp Cumin seeds
- 7-8 Peppercorns
- 7-8 cloves
- 1 small cinnamon stick
- 1 bay leaf
- ¼ tsp Nutmeg powder
- 500 gms Lamb Leg Pieces
- 2 Medium-Sized Onions finely chopped
- 1 Medium Sliced Onion thinly sliced
- 2 tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder
- ¼ tsp turmeric powder
- salt
- 2 tbsp ginger garlic paste
- 1 tsp coriander powder
- 1 green chilli finely chopped
- ghee
- 1 tbsp Lemon Juice
- 2-3 tbsp Nihari Masala
Ingredients
For Nihari Masala
For the Stew
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- Dry roast all the spices and let them cool down. Then grind the whole spices to a fine powder.
- Take a deep-bottomed pan and heat some ghee in it. Add the green chillies and chopped onions. Fry them until they are golden brown. Then add the ginger-garlic paste. Sauté it well until the raw smell is gone.
- Add the Nihari masala to the onion mix and sauté the mixture. Then add ½ a cup of water so that the masala does not burn. Then add the mutton pieces, salt, coriander powder, red chilli powder and sauté gently. Then add 2-3 glasses of water and bring the mixture to a boil on high heat. Then lower the flame, cover the pan with a lid and slow cook the mutton for about 2 hours until it turns tender.
- Take a small bowl. Add wheat flour to it. Then add ½ a cup of water and make a slurry with no lumps. Add this mix to the stew when it is boiling. Stir continuously so that no lumps are formed.
- As the stew is cooking, in a separate pan heat some ghee and fry the onion slices until golden brown. Add those to the stew. Let it simmer for 15 more minutes and turn off the heat.
Recipe Tip
If you would like the stew to be spicier, then you can increase the number of green chillies as preferred.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can I pressure-cook this stew?
Yes. You can make this stew in a pressure cooker for 4-5 whistles on low flame. Make sure to check if the gravy is too thick. Add water as required and simmer again.
Can I use the Nihari Masala for other recipes?
Yes. You can use this masala for other recipes. You can store it in an airtight container.