Indian Beef Stew (Nihari)

4.88 from 8 votes

Indian Beef Stew (Nihari)

Hearty and comforting, this Indian beef stew or nihari is an ancient dish popular in northern India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh. It is made with slow-cooked beef shanks in a thick, spicy gravy infused with aromatic herbs and spices—great for the cold months!

Prep Time25

Total Cook Time4

Total Time4 25

Course: Beef

Cuisine: Indian Recipes

Keyword: Indian Beef Stew

Servings: people

Author: Bee Yinn Low

Ingredients

2 lbs (1kg) Beef shank or 1 ½ lb. (0.6 kg) boneless beef
1 bay leaf
2 one-inch cinnamon sticks
1 ½ teaspoons ginger paste, + 1 ½ teaspoons
1 ½ teaspoons garlic paste, + 2 teaspoons
1 large onion thinly sliced
1 teaspoon red chili powder
2 1/2 teaspoons Nihari Masala
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons whole-wheat flour
One 1-inch piece fresh ginger julienned
¼ cup chopped cilantro
1 lemon, sliced

Nihari Masala:

2 tablespoons fennel seeds
2 tablespoons cumin seeds
4 green cardamom pods
1 black cardamom pods
8 cloves
15 whole black peppercorns
1 teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon nutmeg powder
¼ teaspoon cinnamon powder
1 bay leaf

Instructions

Preparing Nihari Masala:

Add all the ingredients in a spice grinder and grind to fine powder form. Sift the powder through a fine sieve to remove any rough pieces and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. You can keep this for about a month.

Boiling the Shanks:

In a large pot add the beef shanks along with 1 ½ teaspoon of ginger paste, 1 ½ teaspoon of garlic paste, bay leaf, 1 cinnamon stick, 1 teaspoon of salt and 5 cups of water. Boil the shanks on low-medium heat till the meat is tender and well done, about 2-3 hours. (Make sure to add a little more water if the water starts to dry out too fast; there should be enough water in the pot to cover the meat).
Once the meat is done, use a slotted spoon to carefully remove the meat from the liquid and keep aside. Measure the stock (liquid) and add water if needed to make it 4 cups, reserve. Discard the bay leaf and cinnamon. You can do this step up to 2 days in advance. Let the meat and stock stay together while you store them in the refrigerator, remove the meat from the stock just before you start to put the stew together.

Stew (Nihari):

In a non-stick saucepan or a pot, heat oil over medium heat. When the oil gets hot, add the sliced onions and stir-fry constantly until they turn golden-brown in color. Don’t over fry or the onions will burn.
Add the remaining 1½ teaspoon of ginger paste and 2 teaspoons of garlic paste and do a quick stir. Add 1 cup of the reserved stock to the pan, cover the pan and let everything cook on low heat for 5-6 minutes until the liquid starts to dry out, and the onions turn very soft.
Add the beef shanks to the pan along with the chili powder and Nihari Masala. Sauté gently for 2-3 minutes, and try to avoid the meat from breaking down.
Add 3 cups of remaining stock (if the stock is less than 3 cups add water). Give everything a gentle stir and cover the pan. Let it simmer on low heat for 10 minutes.
In the meantime, in a small bowl, combine the flour with ½ cup of water. Stir well.
After the stew has simmered for 10 minutes, add the flour mixture to the pan, stirring gently. Cover the pan and let it simmer for another 10-15 minutes on low heat. Check it once or twice to make sure the gravy is not drying out.
Remove the pan from the heat and let it stand for 10 minutes with its lid on before serving. When ready to serve, add salt to taste and garnish the stew with the ginger, cilantro and lemon juice and serve hot with pita, naan or any bread of your choice.

Notes

Toast your fennel seeds, cardamom pods, and other whole spices in a dry pan before grinding them up. This step draws out their essential oils, intensifying the flavors of your Indian beef soup.
While an Indian stew recipe is traditionally made with beef, goat and lamb are delicious alternatives. Other beef cuts like chuck, short ribs, oxtail, or brisket will work too.
Dissolve the wheat flour in hot water before stirring it into the stew. This prevents clumps and creates a smooth, velvety gravy.
If you’re short on time, make this nihari in an Instant Pot or pressure cooker. However, make sure to use bone-in beef shanks to add more flavor and collagen to the broth. You can also add more spices to account for the shorter cooking time.
Cook the beef stew on low-medium heat for a long time to achieve that signature velvety texture. The gelatinous marrow in the beef shanks will break down over time, making the stew extra rich and flavorful.

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