Nihari — Overnight Bone Broth with Wheat Thickening (निहारी)

Ingredients

• 1.2 kg beef or lamb shank (nalli), bone-in, cross-cut to expose marrow
• 400 g marrow bones, additional cross-cut pieces
• For the nihari masala
• 2 tsp fennel seeds, ground
• 6 green cardamom pods, seeds ground
• 2 black cardamom pods, seeds ground
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 cinnamon stick, approximately 5 cm
• 4 cloves, ground
• 1 tsp mace, ground
• 2 tsp ground ginger, dried
• For the braise
• 3 tbsp ghee
• 2 medium onions, thinly sliced
• 1.5 litres water, hot
• 2 tsp salt, to taste
• For the wheat thickening
• 3 tbsp maida (plain white wheat flour), dissolved in 100 ml cold water until smooth
• For the tarka
• 2 tbsp ghee
• 1 medium onion, thinly sliced, fried until deep golden
• For the garnish
• 30 g fresh ginger, peeled, cut into fine julienne
• 2 green chillies, finely chopped
• 1 lemon, cut into wedges
• 15 g fresh coriander, roughly chopped
• To serve
• 4 tandoori naan, kulcha, or sheermal

Method

1. 1
   Combine the ground nihari masala spices — fennel, green and black cardamom, clove, mace, dried ginger, bay, and cinnamon — into a single blend so every piece of meat meets the same proportion of spice from the first moment it enters the pot. In a wide, heavy pot or iron karahi, heat the ghee over a high flame and fry the sliced onions until they are uniformly deep golden and beginning to crisp at the edges, since those caramelised onions will dissolve entirely into the broth over the long braise and become its savoury backbone. Add the bone-in shank pieces and marrow bones and sear, turning, until the surfaces are browned and the fat in the pan smells nutty and fragrant.
2. 2
   Add the nihari masala blend and salt, stir to coat the meat, and cook for two minutes so the spices toast briefly in the ghee and open up before the liquid goes in. Pour in the hot water — hot, so the braise begins immediately rather than spending the first half-hour climbing to temperature — bring to a full boil, and skim any grey foam that rises. Reduce to the lowest possible heat, cover tightly, and leave undisturbed for a minimum of six hours, traditionally overnight: the shank and marrow bones need that uninterrupted time to surrender their richness gradually into the broth, building the soft, glossy body that defines nihari; a shortened braise produces tight meat and a thin, characterless liquid.
3. 3
   After the braise, lift the shank pieces carefully — the meat should fall away from the bone at the slightest pressure, which tells you the long cook has done its work. Remove the bones and pull the meat into large pieces, returning them to the broth. The marrow, if it has not already dissolved, should be pressed from the bones into the broth with a spoon, so none of that richness is lost with the discarded bone.
4. 4
   Bring the broth back to a gentle simmer rather than a rolling boil, so the slurry has time to hydrate evenly and thicken without turning lumpy or starchy-tasting. Stir the maida-and-water slurry once more to ensure it is smooth and lump-free, then pour it into the simmering broth in a slow, steady stream, stirring continuously. Cook for five to eight minutes; the broth is ready when it lightly coats the back of a spoon — it must not be gloppy or paste-like, since the thickening is a texture adjuster, not a binding agent.
5. 5
   Prepare the tarka immediately before serving so the onion arrives at the table still sizzling, carrying its heat and fragrance into the bowl rather than steaming away in a pot. Heat the ghee in a small pan over a high flame and fry the sliced onion until deeply golden and crisp. Pour the entire contents of the pan — ghee and onion together — directly over the filled bowls at the table; cooking the tarka into the stew would collapse the onion and cost you the contrast of textures.
6. 6
   Ladle the nihari into wide bowls, ensuring each portion receives a piece of bone with exposed marrow. Apply the garnishes — julienned ginger, green chilli, fresh coriander, and a lemon wedge — directly on top; these are structural to the balance of the dish, cutting the deep richness of the broth in a way nothing else can, so do not treat them as optional decoration. Serve with naan, kulcha, or sheermal on the side for mopping.