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Nihari kulcha
Slow-cooked mutton shank with bread
निहारी कुलचा (nihari kulcha): slow-cooked spiced mutton shank in a silky gravy with soft, slightly sweet kulcha
IndianNihari, from the Arabic word for morning, is Lucknow's great breakfast: around Akbari Gate and the Chowk, old shops simmer mutton shanks overnight in a deep pot of spiced, ghee-glossed gravy and serve it from dawn, especially during Ramadan, with soft, faintly sweet Lucknowi kulcha. The meat falls from the bone, the marrow melts into the gravy, and every bowl is finished at the table with shredded ginger, green chilli and lemon. Chef's tip: keep it at the barest simmer; a rolling boil makes the meat tight and stringy.
- Total time
- 300 min
- Difficulty
- hard
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
For the nihari spice
- 1 tsp fennel seeds
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 4 cloves
- 1 ⅛ in cinnamon stick
- 1 tsp black peppercorns
- ¼ tsp grated nutmeg
For the nihari
- 2 ¼ lb mutton or lamb shank (nalli), on the bonecut into large pieces
- 2 ⅞ oz ghee
- 2 onionsthinly sliced
- 2 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
- 2 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
- ½ tsp ground turmeric
- 1 ¾ tsp salt1½ tsp for the nihari, ¼ tsp for the kulcha
- 3 ½ oz plain yoghurtwhisked
- 6 ¼ cups hot water
- 3 tbsp wholewheat flour (atta)
- ¾ cup cold water
For the kulcha
- 10 ½ oz plain flour
- ¾ cup warm milk
- 2 tbsp plain yoghurt
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 4 tbsp ghee2 tbsp for the dough, 2 tbsp melted for brushing
To serve
- ⅔ oz fresh gingercut into fine shreds
- 3 green chilliessliced
- 1 lemoncut into wedges
- ⅓ oz fresh coriander (optional)chopped
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What you'll need
Spices & pantry
Fresh ingredients (8)
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Method
0/9 doneStep 1: Dry-roast 1 tsp fennel seeds, 1 tsp cumin seeds, 4 cloves, 4 green cardamom pods, 1 black cardamom pod, 1 ⅛ in cinnamon stick, 1 tsp black peppercorns and 1 mace blade in a small pan over a low heat for 2 minutes until fragrant. Cool and grind fine, then mix in ¼ tsp grated nutmeg and 1 tsp ground dried ginger (sonth).
4 minStep 3: Add 2 ¼ lb mutton or lamb shank (nalli), on the bone to the pot and brown on all sides for 8 minutes. Add 2 tbsp ginger-garlic paste and fry for 2 minutes.
10 minStep 4: Stir in two thirds of the spice mix, 2 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder, ½ tsp ground turmeric and most of the 1 ¾ tsp salt (keep ¼ tsp for the kulcha), then the 3 ½ oz plain yoghurt a spoonful at a time, stirring until the ghee separates.
5 minStep 5: Pour in 6 ¼ cups hot water, bring to the boil, then cover tightly and cook on the lowest possible heat for 3½ hours, until the meat comes away from the bone at a touch. Common mistake: letting it boil; the meat goes stringy and the gravy cloudy.
210 minStep 6: Meanwhile make the kulcha dough: mix 10 ½ oz plain flour, 1 tbsp sugar, 1 tsp baking powder, ¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda and the reserved salt. Add 2 tbsp plain yoghurt, ¾ cup warm milk and half the 4 tbsp ghee and knead for 5 minutes into a soft dough. Cover and rest for 2 hours while the nihari cooks.
8 minStep 7: Whisk 3 tbsp wholewheat flour (atta) into ¾ cup cold water until smooth. Stir into the pot with the rest of the spice mix and simmer uncovered, stirring gently, for 15 minutes, until the gravy is silky and coats a spoon. Check the salt.
15 minStep 8: Heat the oven to 475°F (fan 425°F) with a baking tray inside. Divide the dough into 6, roll into 15 cm ovals, prick with a fork and bake on the hot tray for 6–8 minutes, until puffed with golden patches. Brush with the remaining melted ghee.
12 minStep 9: Ladle the nihari into bowls and top with the reserved fried onion, ⅔ oz fresh ginger, 3 green chillies and ⅓ oz fresh coriander. Serve with 1 lemon to squeeze and the warm kulcha.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 720 kcal
- Protein
- 42 g
- Carbs
- 52 g
- Fat
- 38 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does nihari kulcha take?
- About 300 minutes in total: 30 minutes to prepare and 270 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- What can I use instead of fennel seeds?
- Aniseeds, same amount (a stronger liquorice taste).
- What can I use instead of cumin seeds?
- Ground cumin, three quarters of the amount (add it with the other ground spices, not to hot oil first).
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