No Pakistani winter evening is complete without this. Thick, rich, and bubbling with spicy oil. This slow-cooked beef stew is pure comfort. Share with a meat lover!
Ingredients:
- 1kg (2.2 lbs) Beef shank with bone marrow (Nalli) 🥩
- 1/2 cup (120ml) Ghee (clarified butter) 🧈
- 1 Large onion, finely sliced 🧅
- 3 tbsp (45g) Nihari spice blend (fennel, cumin, dry ginger) 🌶️
- 2 tbsp (30g) Ginger-garlic paste 🧄
- 1/2 cup (60g) Whole wheat flour (Atta) 🌾
- 6 cups (1.5 liters) Beef bone broth 🥣
- Fresh ginger matchsticks, cilantro, and lemon to serve 🍋
Step-by-Step Instructions:
- Melt the ghee in a deep, heavy-bottomed pot.
- Fry the sliced onions until they are deeply golden and crispy.
- Add the beef shanks and ginger-garlic paste.
- Sear the meat until it browns heavily on all sides.
- Stir in the Nihari spice blend and cook for two minutes until fragrant.
- Pour in the bone broth, cover tightly, and simmer on the lowest heat for 4 hours.
- Whisk the whole wheat flour with a little water to make a smooth paste.
- Slowly stir the flour paste into the bubbling stew to thicken the gravy.
- Cook for 15 more minutes until the spicy red oil floats to the top.
- Garnish with bright yellow ginger slices, green cilantro, and a squeeze of lemon.
Secret Tip: Do not rush the searing step. The deep brown crust on the beef shanks creates the foundational color and richness of the final gravy.