This Mutton Nihari is one of those classic recipes that are comforting, wholesome, and delicious. It’s rich without being heavy, and fills the kitchen with the most comforting aromas while it cooks away slowly.
This mutton Nihari is one of those of dishes I make when I am hosting and need to cook for a crowd. It’s a one-pot recipe with a long cook time, but don’t let that intimidate you. Once you marinate the mutton and fry your onions, this dish basically cooks itself. But the resulting flavors carry so much depth, it’s insane!
Another thing I love about Nihari is that it’s a make-ahead dish. It should ideally be rested for a couple hours before serving, but I love making this the previous day to allow the flavors to really develop. My favorite way to eat this mutton curry is with some soft and fluffy kulcha along with lemon wedges and onion rings. But this recipe tastes just as good with naan, roti, or even steamed rice.
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Nihari Ingredients
- Mutton – bone-in leg or shoulder mutton pieces add depth of flavor and body. You can use boneless pieces, but make sure to adjust the cooking time as boneless mutton cooks much faster
- Salt and turmeric – used in the marinate to flavor, color, and tenderize the meat
- Oil – I have used sunflower oil, but any neutral-flavored oil will work here
- Onions – thinly sliced, fried until golden and then ground into a paste to create the backbone of the gravy
- Aromatics – ginger and garlic for flavor, sharpness, aroma, and depth
- Masala – I have used Shan’s Nihari Masala for an authentic flavor. You can use any brand that’s available to you, or even make your own spice mix at home.
- Besan and wheat flour – help thicken the gravy and add body to the dish.
- Garnishes – julienned ginger, coriander leaves add freshness
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, but slow cooking gives the best flavour and texture. Pressure cook only if needed.
Together, they give nihari its signature thickness without making it pasty.
It’s meant to be warming, not aggressively spicy. Adjust ginger and masala to taste.
Richa’s Top Tips
- Be patient while frying onions as they take a while to brown but also tend to burn very quickly. Fry them in batches to make sure everything is cooked evenly
- Stir continuously while roasting the flours to prevent them from burning
- Always cook Nihari slowly on low heat. Rushing the cook time will affect both texture and flavor
Serving Ideas
- We love eating this with kulcha, but it tastes just as good with naan or roti
- Pair with plain steamed rice if you prefer something lighter.
- Always serve with ginger juliennes, lemon wedges, and onions on the side so everyone can adjust to taste.
Customisation Ideas
- Add a little extra water if you prefer a thinner, more broth-like nihari.
- Increase ginger garnish if you like a sharper, fresher finish.
- Replace part of the oil with ghee for a richer, more traditional flavour.
- Replace mutton with chicken or another protein of your choice. Just make sure to adjust the cook time according to what you’re using.
Storage Ideas
- Refrigeration: Store cooled nihari in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
- Freezing: Nihari freezes well for up to 1 month; thaw overnight in the fridge.
- Reheating: Reheat gently on low heat, adding a little water to loosen the gravy if needed.
- Flavour note: Like most slow-cooked dishes, it often tastes even better the next day.
This mutton nihari is slow, indulgent, and deeply satisfying. It’s the kind of dish that reminds you why some recipes are meant to take their time. It’s rich without excess, comforting without being heavy, and best enjoyed hot, fresh, and unhurried.
Watch Nihari Recipe Video
Mutton Nihari
Ingredients
- 2 kilograms bone-in mutton leg / shoulder
- 1 ½ teaspoon salt divided
- 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 cup sunflower or any neutral flavoured cooking oil
- 8 onions thinly sliced, 500 gms
- 1 ½ inch ginger roughly chopped, 65 gms
- 40 garlic cloves 35 gms
- 12 ½ cups water
- 1 ½ packets Shan nihari masala 90 gms
- ½ cup besan gram flour
- ½ cup atta wheat flour
- 1 ½ inches ginger julienned
- 2 tablespoons roughly chopped coriander leaves
- 2-3 onion rings
- 2-3 lemon wedges
Instructions
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Take mutton, 1 teaspoon of salt, 1 teaspoon of turmeric powder in a bowl, mix well and set aside to marinate for 30 minutes.2 kilograms bone-in mutton leg / shoulder, 1 ½ teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
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Heat oil in a deep kadai or pan, add ⅓ portion of sliced onions and fry on low till they turn golden brown. Drain oil well and transfer the fried onions to a plate. Repeat the same process for the rest of the onions. Add fried onions, ginger & garlic to a mixer grinder with ½ cup of water and grind to a paste.1 cup sunflower or any neutral flavoured cooking oil, 8 onions, 1 ½ inch ginger, 40 garlic cloves, 12 ½ cups water
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Take ¾ cup of the oil used for frying onions in a kadai, add marinated mutton and saute of medium for 2-3 minutes till they get lightly roasted.
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Add brown onion paste and saute for 3-4 minutes on low till the rawness goes.
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Mix nihari masala in 1 cup of water, add to the kadai, mix well. Add 9 cups of water, cover and cook for 1 hour 30 minutes till the mutton is cooked well and the meat falls off the bone.1 ½ packets Shan nihari masala
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While the meat is cooking, take besan and atta in a kadai and roast on low for 3-4 minutes till the rawness goes. Stir continuously while roasting so they do not turn brown.½ cup besan, ½ cup atta
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Once the meat is cooked, mix the roasted flours in 2 cups of water so that there are no lumps formed, add to the kadai, mix continuously till it starts boiling and cook on low for 7-8 minutes until the oil floats on top. Scoop out the oil/rogan floating on top of the gravy and transfer to a bowl.
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For serving, pour 2-3 ladles of hot nihari mutton gravy to a bowl, add 2 tablespoons of hot rogan, 2-3 ginger juliennes and coriander leaves. 2-3 onion rings and a lemon wedge to be served on the side.1 ½ inches ginger, 2 tablespoons roughly chopped coriander leaves, 2-3 onion rings, 2-3 lemon wedges
Video
Notes
- Onions are fried in batches to ensure optimum use of oil.
- Nihari tastes the best after resting for 2-3 hours.
Nutrition
This article was researched and written by Urvi Dalal.
The post Mutton Nihari appeared first on My Food Story.
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