Beef Nihari
Beef shank slow-cooked in a spiced gravy thickened with toasted flour. A weekend project that mostly cooks itself.
Published 12 Sep 2026Updated Tested by Hina Ikram
Ingredients
Equipment: Heavy-based pan
Method
Fry the onion in ghee until golden, then lift out and keep for garnish.
Add beef and ginger-garlic paste; sear on high.
Add nihari masala, salt and 8 cups water. Cover and simmer on the lowest heat until the meat is fork-tender.
Dry-toast the flour in a pan until light brown, cool, then whisk with 1 cup water until smooth.
Stir the slurry into the pot and simmer, stirring, until the gravy thickens and turns glossy.
Serve with ginger, chilies, fried onion and lemon.
Cooking tips
- Skim the fat that rises during step 3 and spoon it back over each bowl as tari.
- A pressure cooker cuts step 3 to about 60 minutes.
Substitutions
- Beef → mutton shank, same timing
- Nihari masala → 2 tbsp garam masala + 1 tsp fennel + ½ tsp ground ginger
Serve with
Khamiri roti or naan, and plenty of lemon.
Storage
Refrigerate up to 4 days; it tastes better on day two.
Reheating
Warm slowly with some water; it thickens as it cools.
Nutrition per serving, estimated
Estimated from the ingredient list. Values vary with brands and portion size.
You might also cook
PakistaniKadhi Pakora
A tangy, silky yogurt and besan curry simmered slowly and topped with soft onion pakoras and a sizzling cumin-chilli tarka. It's a comforting Punjabi-style lunch to serve with plain rice.
PakistaniChana Daal with Onion-Tomato Masala and Garlic Tarka
Split chickpeas simmered until tender but still whole, then folded into a golden onion-tomato masala and finished with a sizzling garlic and cumin tarka. A hearty everyday lunch for rice or roti.
PakistaniMasoor Daal with Tarka
Red lentils simmered until silky, then finished with a sizzling tarka of cumin, garlic and dried chilies. Weeknight comfort for very little money.
PakistaniShami Kabab
Soft, well-spiced patties of beef and split chickpeas, with a fresh mint, onion and green chilli centre. Shallow-fried until crisp outside, they suit tea time and Ramadan tables.
Pakistani kitchen
PakistaniJalebi
Crisp, golden spirals of fermented batter soaked in warm saffron-cardamom syrup. Plan on a few hours of batter resting, then about half an hour of frying and dipping.
PakistaniBadam Halwa
A rich, glossy almond halwa made from freshly ground blanched almonds, milk, ghee and saffron. It suits Eid tables, dinner parties and winter evenings.
PakistaniKalakand
Soft, slightly grainy milk cake made from fresh homemade chenna and condensed milk, scented with cardamom and topped with pistachios. A simple mithai for Eid, weddings or a sweet craving.
PakistaniBesan Ladoo
Round gram flour sweets made by slowly roasting besan in ghee until nutty and golden, then shaping with sugar and cardamom. A classic for Eid, weddings and tea-time gifting.