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This hearty beef nihari recipe is perfect for Sunday breakfast

This hearty beef nihari recipe is perfect for Sunday breakfast

Looking for an early morning meal? Let nihari be your choice of food.
11 Aug, 2019

This piece was originally published on 7 January, 2018.

If you are a true Karachiite, you know Sabri/Zahid/Javed/Waheed nihari like you do the Arabian Sea. Actually, possibly more.

Ah, nihari! What can I tell you about its magic that you don’t already know — its flavour, texture, aroma, colour and yes, the magic! How did it come to be, and why do we love it so?

In my understanding and love affair with food, and writing, I have come to understand that slow-cooked foods have an enhanced flavour and tenderness unlike the everyday fare at our meal tables, and there is a science behind it.

The silkiness and shine of nihari is not happenstance, it’s the deliberate slow cooking that enhances the hidden composition of the meat-cut used in nihari, and the sheen of melted collagen, which mostly goes unnoticed when cooked as a part of, quick, everyday meals.

Tenderness in meat is the result of the melting of collagen, which is the connective tissue protein present in meat. Once it melts it turns to gelatin, a rich liquid that gives meat a lot of flavour and shine, as well as the silky texture.

However, in order for collagen to completely melt, it must not only be heated, but cooked at low temperatures for extended length, ensuring that slow-cooked meats have a unique and unmistakable tenderness and flavour — rich, deep and soul-stirring, much like our delectable nihari.

Slow cooking works best with fatty, tough cuts of meat like beef shoulder, round or leg, and cooked best when exposed to low heat. The cooking method of preparing nihari remains ancient and unchanged.

The lid of the heavy-based deg was sealed to maintain maximum heat and steam for slow cooking. The meat was braised and then left to simmer in the aromatic and delightfully-spicy essence of masala.

Gently the meat would soak the flavour of the spices as they infused the heartiness of the meat and melted in the heat of the moment. It was almost like one was seducing the other to create the magic of nihari.

Nihari is considered a heavy dish to digest, hence it is best eaten early in the morning so the entire day is available to the body for digestion. For this reason, the dish was christened nihari, a derivation of the Arab word nihar, meaning early morning. Needless to say, it is a national favourite.

Making nihari can seem like a daunting task but anyone can make it as long as the recipe is right and they are passionate about cooking.

NIHARI

Ingredients

1 Masala

1¼ cup oil

5 lbs veal or beef shank with bone

Salt to taste

3 teaspoons garam masala powder

3 teaspoons red chili powder

4 teaspoons coriander powder

1½ tablespoon ginger

1½ tablespoon garlic

1½ teaspoon turmeric powder

6 tablespoons white flour

2 medium onions, sliced (1/4 to 1/3 cup oil for frying onions)

2 Nihari Masala Spices

2 sticks pipli (long pepper)

2 ½ tablespoons coriander seeds

½ teaspoon mace powder

½ teaspoon nutmeg powder

2 bay leaves

2 cinnamon sticks

4 black cardamoms

20 cloves

10 green cardamoms

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

1 tablespoon black peppercorns

4 tablespoons fennel seeds

¼ teaspoon anise seeds

Grind all these to a fine powder

Garnish (chopped)

Fresh cilantro

Fresh green chillies

Ginger

Lemons

Fried onions

Method

Heat oil, braise meat evenly on high heat for a few minutes.

Add ‘masala 1’ ingredients to the meat, with the exception of flour and onions, and cook on high heat until meat is evenly coated.

Pour 10 glasses of water to the meat, dissolve flour in four glasses of water and add to the meat, ensuring that the meat is covered with water, adding more if required and bringing to boil.

Add finely powdered ‘nihari masala 2’ to the boiling mix. Lower heat to medium and let the nihari simmer for six to seven hours.

Fry onions until golden brown, add to nihari and cook for another 15 to 20 minutes. Garnish and serve with hot naan. Serves 10-12.

The writer is author of Feast with a Taste of Amir Khusro


Originally published in Dawn, EOS, January 7th, 2017

Comments

helping hands Jan 07, 2018 09:54am
My mouth just watered. No, it flooded! And Bisma, you are right about slow cooking the nihari. I tried both slow cooking and the pressure cooker version. And we all know which one tasted better :)
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Jamal Jan 07, 2018 10:09am
What a description! Made me hungry.
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mas Jan 07, 2018 10:38am
What is 1 Masala and 2 Nihari Masala Spices?
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S.AHMAD Jan 07, 2018 10:47am
I have had the privelege of tasting nihari made by Karachi's SABRI RESTAURANT. The very thought of it is mouth watering!
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Rahim Jan Jan 07, 2018 02:43pm
Oh the joy of nihari! Thank you Bisma for sharing this..Just reading this made my mouth water.. I wish i could just sneak out of office on lunch for a bit of nihari :)
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Zindabhag Jan 07, 2018 04:45pm
Dear Bisma can you please explain 1 masala and 2 masala nihari spice ? any specific company?
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Awan Jan 07, 2018 06:42pm
@mas it starts with Masala 1 and Masala 2 ingredients commence where it says 2 sticks of Pipli long pepper. Took me a second glance to look for it as well. Perhaps if the text was bold , it would have helped differentiate between the two groups of spices.
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ahamed Jan 07, 2018 07:21pm
Bisma, Nihari in the West is a rare treat. Would love to have home made Nihari in Vancouver, Canada. Thank you.
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Imajes Jan 07, 2018 08:41pm
Just put 2 pkt of Shaan Masala instead 1, while other ingredients as above, you'll get the best Nihari.
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Israr Jan 07, 2018 09:15pm
@Awan I got that but why would masala 1 include oil, meat and white flour. Surely you can't include them in spices that need to be ground. The recipe looks so good I am tempted to try it so thanks for the excellent write-up but I hope the confusion surrounding masalas can be removed.
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Amlan Jan 07, 2018 10:03pm
The recipe is great except for a small correction. Nihar is not an Arabian word but a Sanskrit word for morning mist or dew.
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nasr Jan 07, 2018 10:18pm
Please explain 1 Masala and 2 Nihari Masala ?
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nasr Jan 07, 2018 10:25pm
Below is the confusion of Masala 1 & 2 resolved follow the method as mentioned in the article. MASALA NO 1. 1¼ cup oil 5 lbs veal or beef shank with bone Salt to taste 3 teaspoons garam masala powder 3 teaspoons red chili powder 4 teaspoons coriander powder 1½ tablespoon ginger 1½ tablespoon garlic 1½ teaspoon turmeric powder 6 tablespoons white flour 2 medium onions, sliced (1/4 to 1/3 cup oil for frying onions) MASALA NO 2 2 sticks pipli (long pepper) 2 ½ tablespoons coriander seeds ½ teaspoon mace powder ½ teaspoon nutmeg powder 2 bay leaves 2 cinnamon sticks 4 black cardamoms 20 cloves 10 green cardamoms 1 teaspoon cumin seeds 1 tablespoon black peppercorns 4 tablespoons fennel seeds ¼ teaspoon anise seeds Grind all these to a fine powder Garnish (chopped) Fresh cilantro Fresh green chillies Ginger Lemons Fried onions
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Urfi Jan 07, 2018 10:36pm
So, what are these Masala 1 and Masala 2. In your ingredients list I see 1 Masala listed - what is that? There is no mention of Masala 2 - is it the same as "2 Nihari Masala Spices"? I really want to make this. Can you help? I can assume that 1 Masala contains every ingredient listed under it however you also have Meat and Oils listed under it. Thank You.
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AXH Jan 08, 2018 02:49am
Beef, yumm!!!
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AXH Jan 08, 2018 05:34am
Sabri is probably the oldest Nihari brand in Karachi. The entire area around sabri is famous for food.
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N. Rahim Jan 08, 2018 05:46am
@mas They are 2 sets of masala.
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JJ from Hyderabad Deccan Jan 08, 2018 12:15pm
I wish I could time travel and come to Karachi to enjoy sumptuous beef nehari!
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Lail o Nihar Jan 08, 2018 02:54pm
@Amlan Nihar means day in Arabic.
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nasr Jan 09, 2018 12:03am
@Urfi Please follow the explanation in the comments section
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Amin BAKALI Jan 09, 2018 08:58pm
Why was it was christened as Nihari and not called or named Nihari any particular reason.
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S Aug 12, 2019 04:42am
To avoid confusion of masala 1 and masala 2 . the ingredient list should be intended. Many are thinking that masala 1 and masala 2 are also ingredient. Some of the comments explain that, Or to say how to Prepare Masalas I&2.
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imtiaz Faruqui Aug 12, 2019 07:29am
I am from New York ,born in Karachi I loved Nihari Very disappointed to eat Zahid Nihari full of hot pepper , There is no Nihari better than Sabri Nihari in Karachi and in Chicago . Period.
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