Old Delhi breakfast · Slow cooked
Mutton Nihari Recipe (Old Delhi Style)
Shanks. Low and long. Toasted atta.
Recipe by Farwa ZeeshanTested in the NineFoods home kitchenMutton nihari is goat or lamb shank slow-cooked overnight in Old Delhi with a fragrant nihari masala, then thickened until silky. It fails when rushed: tough meat and a raw, floury gravy. The fix is shanks with marrow, hours on a bare simmer and toasted atta added slowly.
The 3 laws of mutton nihari
Why this recipe works
Lean meat
Gelatin makes it silky.
Boiling
Meat melts slowly.
Raw flour
No pasty taste or lumps.
Shopping and prep list
Ingredients
Mutton
Nihari masala and finish
The NineFoods nihari gauge
Ready to thicken?
Press a shank piece after 3.5 hours.
Method · 4 stages
Step by step
Sear
- Heat ghee, fry ginger garlic, sear mutton.
- Add nihari masala, chilli and salt; fry 3 minutes.
Slow simmer
- Add water and half the fried onions, cover.
- Top up with hot water as needed. Use the gauge above.
Thicken
- Whisk atta into water and pour slowly while stirring.
Tarka
- Heat ghee with 1 tsp masala and pour on top.
Chef's troubleshooter
What went wrong? Pick the symptom
Why
Short cook.
Fix next time
Keep simmering; add hot water.
Why
Flour added dry.
Fix next time
Make a slurry first and pour slowly.
Why
Atta not toasted.
Fix next time
Dry-roast atta until light brown.
Why
Too little atta.
Fix next time
Add 1 tbsp more slurry.
Swap smart
Ingredient roles and substitutes
| Ingredient | Job in the dish | Swap with |
|---|---|---|
| Mutton shank | Silky gravy | Beef shank, cook 30 minutes longer |
| Nihari masala | Aroma | Packet nihari masala |
| Atta | Thickener | Plain flour, roasted |
| Pressure cooker | Speed | 60 minutes under pressure |
After the meal
Serve, store, reheat
Serve with
Khamiri roti or naan with ginger, chillies and lemon.
Store
Fridge 4 days. Freezer 3 months.
Reheat
Low heat with water, stirring until glossy.
How we tested this recipe
Tested in a home kitchen, not a studio
Recipe developed and tested by Farwa Zeeshan, who cooks and tests every NineFoods recipe on a regular home stove.
- Cooked from start to finish with the exact quantities above for 6 servings, using both the metric and US cup measures.
- Every one of the 4 stages was timed at the stove; heat levels and the 'look for' cues are what we saw in the pan.
- The doneness check (ready to thicken) and the troubleshooter come from batches that went wrong, and how we fixed them.
- Reheating and storage advice was checked on leftovers, not guessed.
Keep cooking
Related recipes and guides
Quick answers
Mutton Nihari FAQ
What is nalli nihari?
Nihari cooked with shank bones (nalli) and their marrow.
How long does mutton nihari take?
About 4 hours on a slow simmer.
What thickens nihari?
Toasted whole wheat flour (atta).
Is nihari Indian or Pakistani?
It is from Old Delhi and is loved in both India and Pakistan.