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A rich, slow-cooked mutton shank curry, where the meat becomes incredibly tender and melts in your mouth. This iconic Mughlai dish is aromatic with a blend of whole spices and is traditionally enjoyed with fresh naan.
For 4 servings
Fry the Onions
Sear the Mutton and Sauté Masala
Pressure Cook the Nihari
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A rich, slow-cooked mutton shank curry, where the meat becomes incredibly tender and melts in your mouth. This iconic Mughlai dish is aromatic with a blend of whole spices and is traditionally enjoyed with fresh naan.
This mughlai recipe takes 160 minutes to prepare and yields 4 servings. At 844.81 calories per serving with 61.32g of protein, it's a moderately challenging recipe perfect for lunch or dinner.
Thicken the Gravy
Garnish and Serve
Replace mutton shanks with 1 kg of bone-in chicken drumsticks or thighs. Reduce the pressure cooking time to about 20-25 minutes.
Use beef shanks instead of mutton for an equally rich and authentic flavor. The cooking time will be similar to that of mutton.
For extra heat, add 1 teaspoon of regular red chili powder along with the Kashmiri chili powder, or increase the number of green chilies in the garnish.
After sautéing the masala and meat, transfer everything to a slow cooker. Cook on low for 8-10 hours or on high for 4-5 hours. Thicken with the flour slurry in the last 30 minutes of cooking.
Mutton is an excellent source of high-quality protein, essential for building and repairing tissues, muscle growth, and supporting overall body function.
The red meat in Nihari provides heme iron, a form that is easily absorbed by the body. Iron is crucial for forming hemoglobin, which carries oxygen in the blood, helping to prevent fatigue and anemia.
Slow-cooking the bone-in shanks releases collagen, gelatin, and minerals from the bone marrow into the gravy. These compounds are known to support joint health, strengthen bones, and improve skin elasticity.
The blend of spices used in Nihari, such as ginger, fennel, and turmeric, contains compounds with anti-inflammatory and digestive properties. These spices lend a warming quality to the dish and can aid digestion.
Nalli Nihari is a traditional slow-cooked stew from the Indian subcontinent, with Mughlai origins. It's made with bone-in meat shanks (nalli), cooked for several hours in a rich, spicy gravy, and is known for its incredibly tender meat and flavorful marrow.
Yes, absolutely. Traditionally, Nihari is slow-cooked for hours. Use a heavy-bottomed pot (like a Dutch oven), follow the same steps, but instead of pressure cooking, cover the pot and simmer on the lowest possible heat for 3-4 hours, or until the meat is fall-off-the-bone tender.
To fix a lumpy gravy, you can use an immersion blender to smooth it out. Alternatively, pass the gravy through a fine-mesh sieve. To prevent lumps, make sure your flour slurry is completely smooth before adding it, and pour it in a thin, steady stream while stirring the gravy constantly.
Nalli Nihari is a rich and indulgent dish, high in protein and fat. While it provides beneficial nutrients like iron and collagen from the meat and bones, it's also high in calories and saturated fat from the ghee. It's best enjoyed in moderation as part of a balanced diet.
A typical serving of Nalli Nihari (around 500g) can contain approximately 600-800 calories, depending on the amount of ghee used and the fat content of the meat. This is an estimate and can vary.
Yes. While mutton shanks (nalli) are traditional, you can also use mutton shoulder or leg pieces with bone. Beef shanks are another excellent and authentic choice. The key is to use a cut with bones and connective tissue that becomes tender with slow cooking.