Chicken Nihari Recipe


Nihari is a traditional Pakistani dish renowned for its rich and flavorful gravy. Slow-cooked with tender meat, aromatic spices, and a medley of herbs, it offers a tantalizing blend of flavors that is hard to resist. This hearty stew is often enjoyed as a special treat during festive occasions or as a comforting meal on chilly days. The slow cooking process allows the meat to become incredibly tender while the spices infuse the gravy with depth and complexity. Served piping hot with naan or rice, Nihari is a beloved dish that embodies the essence of Pakistani cuisine.

Ingredients (English):

1 kg beef or mutton, cut into pieces

4 tablespoons ghee or oil

2 onions, thinly sliced

4 cloves of garlic, minced

2-inch piece of ginger, grated

2 tablespoons Nihari masala

1 teaspoon turmeric powder

1 teaspoon red chili powder

Salt to taste

6 cups water

2 tablespoons wheat flour (optional, for thickening)

Instructions (English):

  1. Heat ghee or oil in a large pot over medium heat.
  2. Add sliced onions and sauté until golden brown.
  3. Add minced garlic and grated ginger, and cook for another 2 minutes.
  4. Add meat pieces to the pot and cook until they are browned on all sides.
  5. Stir in Nihari masala, turmeric powder, red chili powder, and salt. Cook for a few minutes until fragrant.
  6. Pour in water and bring the mixture to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and simmer for 2-3 hours until the meat is tender.
  7. If desired, mix wheat flour with a little water to make a paste and stir it into the Nihari to thicken the gravy.
  8. Serve hot with naan or boiled rice, garnished with fresh coriander leaves, sliced ginger, and green chilies. 

Ingredients (Roman Urdu):

1 kg gosht ya bakray ka gosht, tukron mein kata hua

4 tablespoons ghee ya tail

2 pyaz, patle kati hui

4 lehsan ke joay, kata hua

2 inch adrak, kata hua

2 tablespoons Nihari masala

1 teaspoon haldi powder

1 teaspoon lal mirch powder

Namak hasb-e-zaiqa

6 cups pani

2 tablespoons gehun ka aata (ikhtiyari, garha karne ke liye)

Instructions (Roman Urdu):

  1. Darmiyani aanch par baray pyn mein ghee ya tail garam karein.
  2. Kati hui pyaz daalain aur suneheri brown hone tak bhoonain.
  3. Lehsan ke joay aur kata hua adrak daalain, aur aur aur 2 minute ke liye pakain.
  4. Pyn mein gosht ke tukray daalain aur yahan tak ke woh sab taraf se brown ho jayein pakain.
  5. Nihari masala, haldi powder, lal mirch powder, aur namak daalain. Khushboo daar hone tak chand minute pakain.
  6. Pani shamil karein aur mixture ko ubalne dein. Ubal aane ke baad, aanch kam karein, pyn dhak kar 2-3 ghante pakain jab tak gosht naram na hojaye.
  7. Agar chah, gehun ka aata thoda pani ke saath mila kar paste banayein aur Nihari mein daal kar gravy ko gara karein.
  8. Garam naan ya chawal ke saath garam karain, taza dhaniya patte, kata hua adrak aur hari mirchon ke saath garnish karke serve karein.