Awadhi Khaas Nihari Recipe

Shaheen Ali

April 26, 2025

7279 Ratings

Time:Prep: 15 M|Cook: 2h 0m|Total: 2h 15min

Makes:4 Servings

Meal:Dinner

Cuisine:Awadhi

Khaas Nihari is a slow cooked stew Recipe made with either beef or lamb cooked with its bone marrow, originated from Mughal or Awadhi cuisine. Authentically, Nihari is cooked in a vessel that is buried underground while it cooks overnight, which helps the recipe with very tender morsels of meat, infused with the flavourful bone marrow. Awadhi Khaas Nihari can be made with shanks and feet of beef or lamb. Typically garnished with coriander and ginger julienne to taste, Awadhi Khaas Nihari is served with Roomali roti or butter garlic naan and rice.

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Ingredients

Whole spices:

1 Mutton, (I used shanks)

2 Oil

1/4 Water

1 Ginger, crushed

1 Garlic, crushed

1 Onion, sauteed and ground

3 Curd (Dahi / Yogurt)

2 Rose water

1/2 Saffron strands, soaked in milk for 10 minutes

Coriander (Dhania) Leaves, small bunch, for garnish

1-1/2 Ginger, julienne, for garnish

4 Cardamom (Elaichi) Pods/Seeds

1 Cinnamon Stick (Dalchini)

2 Bay leaves (tej patta)

For seasoning:

1 Turmeric powder (Haldi)

1 Coriander Powder (Dhania)

1 Red Chilli powder

2 Garam masala powder

1/4 Nutmeg powder

1/2 Cardamom Powder (Elaichi)

Salt, to taste

For Whole Wheat Dough (for dum)

1 Whole Wheat Flour

Water, as required

Instructions for Awadhi Khaas Nihari Recipe

To prepare Awadhi Khaas Nihari Recipe, firstly slowly add water into the whole wheat flour and make a tight dough. This dough is to seal the vessel. Once it is ready, keep it aside.

Heat oil in a wok/ pan and add whole spices (green cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, black cardamom and bay leaves.

Now add the meat and saute for 6-7 minutes.

Add salt and turmeric and mix well. Pour in the water, cover the pan and cook.

When it comes to a boil, immediately add ginger- garlic paste, coriander powder, red chilli and onion paste.

Now add nicely whisked yogurt, rose water , garam masala, nutmeg and cinnamon powder and saffron soaked milk/water.

Cover the lid and cook for 2-3 minutes.

Now transfer the prepared meat mix in a broad base heavy bottom vessel/ handi.

Cover the with a lid and seal it with the wheat dough and leave to cook on slow fire. This may take 1.5- 2 hours.

Once the meat is cooked till tender, garnish with fresh coriander and ginger juliennes.

Serve Awadhi Khaas Nihari Recipe hot with roomali roti or butter garlic naan and rice.