Nihari
 Mutton nihari | |
| Course | Main course (breakfast, lunch, dinner) |
|---|---|
| Place of origin | Indian subcontinent |
| Region or state | Lucknow, Awadh[1] |
| Associated cuisine | Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi[2] |
| Invented | 18th-century |
| Serving temperature | Hot |
| Main ingredients | Shank cut of beef or lamb and mutton or goat meat or camel meat, as well as chicken and bone marrow |
| Other information | Served with naan or rice or Roti |
Nihari (Urdu: نہاری) is a slow-cooked stew originating in Lucknow, India, typically prepared with shank cuts of either beef, goat mutton, lamb, or chicken and frequently enriched with bone marrow. Nihari is also the national dish of Pakistan. The stew is seasoned with long pepper (pippali) and other spices, and it is traditionally served with naan, roti, or rice.
Etymology
The name nihari originates from Arabic nahâr (نهار), meaning "morning";[3][1][4] it was originally eaten by nawabs in the Mughal Empire as a breakfast course following Fajr prayer.[3][4]
History
Nihari originated in the royal kitchens of Lucknow, in the Awadh region of modern-day Uttar Pradesh, India, in the late 18th-century, during the last years of the Mughal Empire.[1] However, the dish later gained widespread popularity and eventually became a staple of the royal cuisine of Mughal-era nawabs.[5][6]
Popularity
Nihari is a central dish within the Muslim culinary traditions of the subcontinent. Following the Partition of India in 1947, many Urdu-speaking Muslim Muhajirs migrated to Karachi in West Pakistan and Dhaka in East Pakistan, and established a number of restaurants serving the dish. In Karachi, nihari became a large-scale success[7].
Simultaneously, Lahore maintained a distinct culinary tradition, particularly within the Walled City. In the Punjab heartland, the Lahori variation often emphasizes a richer consistency and the frequent addition of nalli (marrow). In Dhaka, Bangladesh, the dish remains a popular feature of the Old Dhaka culinary scene, brought by migrating communities during the same period.
In some restaurants, a few kilograms from each day's leftover nihari is added to the next day's pot; this reused portion of the dish is known as taar and is believed to provide a unique flavour. Some nihari outlets in Old Delhi claim to have kept an unbroken cycle of taar going for more than a century.[8]
Medicinal remedies
Nihari is also used as a home remedy for fever, rhinorrhea, and the common cold.[9]
See also
References
- ^ a b c Chakravorty, Deblina (12 April 2012). "Nihari, a gift from Nawabs". The Times of India. Retrieved 5 March 2016.
- ^ Sen, Colleen Taylor; Bhattacharyya, Sourish; Saberi, Helen (23 February 2023). The Bloomsbury Handbook of Indian Cuisine. Bloomsbury Publishing. p. 258. ISBN 978-1-350-12864-4.
- ^ a b Sengupta, Sushmita (3 January 2018). "Nihari: History Of The Meaty and Buttery Breakfast Staple of The Mughals". NDTV Food. Retrieved 3 January 2018.
- ^ a b "Nihari- historical recipe". Homtainment. 23 December 2020. Archived from the original on 27 May 2022. Retrieved 23 December 2020.
- ^ "In celebration of winter's perfect dish, the mutton nihari!". Hindustan Times. 4 November 2017. Retrieved 30 January 2021.
- ^ "Do you know what is Nalli Nihari? History of Nihari and recipe of Nalli Nihari". infusecooking.com. 29 June 2021. Archived from the original on 6 March 2023. Retrieved 28 June 2022.
- ^ Noorani, Asif. "Nihari a la Mexican style". The Hindu Business Line. Archived from the original on 23 May 2013. Retrieved 5 March 2016.
- ^ Sengupta, Sushmita (20 January 2022). "Nihari's 'Taar' to Dahi's 'Jamun': The Desi Art Of Using Remains Of Previous Batch To Flavour Next". Slurrp.com. Retrieved 22 December 2023.
- ^ "What is Nihari?". indiacurry.com. Archived from the original on 19 December 2014. Retrieved 28 November 2014.
External links
- Nihari at TasteAtlas
