Ramadan 2023: Relish on a royal Nalli Nihari by Chef Anirudh Deshpande of Westin Goa

It is believed that during the Mughal era, Nalli Nihari was consumed by working class people and since it was so nutritious that eating it once for breakfast would keep one energetic throughout the day. Nihari used to take 6-8 hours to stew, not including preparation time, when made traditionally. Today, it is much easier to cook it in less time. Nalli Nihari with Khameeri Roti is still one of the most popular traditional breakfasts in old Delhi.

The holy month of Ramadan or Ramzan is here; so to help you add a different touch to traditional dish, Chef Anirudh Deshpande at The Westin Goa has shared an authentic recipe of Nalli Nihari that you can cook at home and enjoy a royal meal.

Nalli Nihari recipe

Nali Nihari is a slow - cooked stew with bone -in shank pieces, preferably from the shank. The marrow leaves the bone and mixes with the gravy, giving the stew a rich flavour. The shank turns soft and juicy when it is done.

Ingredients:

Measurements (1 cup =240 ml; 1 tbsp = 15 ml; 1 tsp =5 ml)

1 tbsp. ghee

8-10 Pieces baby lamb with bones

2 medium onions finely sliced

1 tsp ginger paste

1 tbsp garlic paste.

1 cup curd

1 tbsp fried onion

1 tbsp cumin powder

1 tsp yellow chilli powder

1 tbsp coriander powder

1 tsp turmeric powder

Whole Spice for Nihari Masala

 1 tsp mace

3 bay leaves

1 inch cinnamon stick

4 pod green cardamom

1 tsp clove

2 pod black cardamom

8-10 black peppercorns

¼ tsp grated nutmeg

1 tbsp fried onion

For garnishing

1 inch ginger, cut into strip.

4-5 stalks fresh coriander leaves

1 tbsp lemon juice

Method:

Heat ghee in a deep bottom stock pot. Once the ghee is hot, add the sliced onion and fry till they start to turn brown.

Add lamb shank pieces, ginger paste, garlic paste, coriander powder, turmeric powder, cumin powder and salt. Mix well to coat the lamb shank in ghee and spices. Sauté for 5 mins.

Add the nihari masala and 8 cup of water. Mix well cover and cook on very low heat for about 3 hours until the shank is tender keep checking in between the way to know that the shank is cooked is when it breaks easily with spoon.

Sprinkle some lime juice and garnish with ginger strip and fresh coriander leaves. Serve hot.