Lockdown Recipe: This Ramzan, Cook Nihari At Home– Old Delhi Style

(This story was first published on 24 May 2020 and has been reposted from The Quint’s archives to mark the month of Ramzan.)

Video Editor: Puneet Bhatia
Camera: Zijah Sherwani

Nihari, a staple food in the month of Ramzan, is normally eaten for sehri (the pre-dawn meal). And, one of the favourite places to relish the lip smacking nihari is Old Delhi. But, since we all are under lockdown, visiting Purani Dilli for nihari is out of the question.

But, worry not! We have got all you nihari lovers covered. Here’s an easy and super yummy Old Delhi style nihari recipe that you can cook at home.

Just like the rasgulla, there is a constant tiff about the origin of nihari between Old Delhi and Lucknow. Here’s a version which perhaps covers the best of both worlds. This is my mother’s nihari recipe. She was born and raised in Lucknow but became a purani dilli-wali after marriage.

Ingredients

600gm CHICKEN
WHOLE SPICES FOR NIHARI MASALA
BASIC SPICE BLENDS
CHICKEN STOCK
GINGER GARLIC PASTE & VINEGAR
1 CUP OIL

11 WHOLE SPICES TO MAKE NIHARI MASALA

1 Spoon of-
FENNEL SEEDS
WHITE CUMIN SEED
BLACK CUMIN SEEDS
BLACK PEPPER
STAR ANISE OR BADIYAN KA PHOOL
1 INCH CINNAMON STICK
NUTMEG
2 BLACK CARDAMOMS
MACE OR JAVITRI
2 GREEN CARDAMOMS
8 CLOVES
(Grind all of the above together)

NOW, 5 BASIC SPICES
DRIED GINGER OR SONTH
KASHMIRI MIRCH
SALT
CORIANDER POWDER
RED CHILLI POWDER

Just in case these individual spices are not there, a packaged garam masala and ginger-garlic paste will also do the trick.

Most spices are there just for the olfactory satisfaction, but that definitely does the magic of spiking your dopamine levels.

Start by frying the chicken till it’s golden. Let it sit for five minutes. Then add garlic-ginger paste. Sauté till it’s brown, then add the five basic masalas. Add half a glass of water to mix well with the chicken and then add the mixture of whole spices.

Keep adding little amounts of water regularly, at least 1-2 glasses by now. Add vinegar and let it cook for 10 minutes. Add chicken stock and cover it for 5 minutes to soften the chicken.

The last ingredient to add is 2 teaspoons of wheat flour. This is to thicken the texture of nihari.

In a separate bowl, make a thick mixture of wheat flour and water. Before adding the wheat mixture, skim the oil from the surface with a spoon and keep it in a different bowl. Add wheat mixture and keep stirring. Cover and let it cook for 5 minutes.
And the nihari is done.

Garnish the cooked nihari with the oil skimmed off the gravy. For dressing, add chopped coriander, green chilies and julienned ginger.

Hot and spicy purani dilli ki nihari is ready to be served.