Mutton Nihari is a classic Pakistani favorite — a rich, slow-cooked stew that’s pure comfort in every spoonful. Tender pieces of mutton (often from the shank with bone and marrow) melt in your mouth after hours of gentle simmering, soaking up a beautiful blend of warm spices like fennel, cardamom, cinnamon, and more.
The result? A silky, deeply flavorful gravy that’s thick, aromatic, and incredibly satisfying.
This hearty dish has roots in Mughal royal kitchens and has become one of Pakistan’s most beloved recipes — often called a national treasure! Traditionally cooked low and slow (sometimes overnight), it’s surprisingly simple to make at home, though it rewards patience with its lip-smacking taste.
The magic is in that luscious, spiced gravy — so flavorful you’ll want to mop up every last drop. Serve it hot with fresh naan, a squeeze of lemon, sliced ginger, fresh coriander, and maybe some green chilies for extra kick. Perfect for special gatherings, winter evenings, or when you just want something truly soul-warming.
If you love bold, comforting flavors, homemade Mutton Nihari is the one you’ll keep coming back to — just like I do!
You will also like Homemade Beef Nihari
How to Make Mutton Nihari
Prep time: 10 mins
Cook time: 4 hours
Total time: 4 hours 10 mins
Serves: 4
Ingredients
- Mutton with bones 1 kg
- Fennel seeds 2 tbsp
- Dry ginger medium piece
- Salt to taste
- Ghee 1 cup
- Onion 2 (sliced)
- Ginger, garlic paste 2 tbsp
- Red chili powder 2 tbsp
- Pisi Kashmiri mirch or paprika powder ½ tsp
- Turmeric powder ¼ tsp
- Wheat flour 1/2 cup
- Garam masala powder 1 tbsp
For Baghar
- Desi ghee 1 cup
- Red chili powder ½ tsp
For Serving
- Fried onion, lemon, green chilies, sliced ginger and green coriander
Instructions
- Tie fennel seeds and dry ginger in a muslin cloth like a potli.
- Put meat in a cooking pan with 2 jugs water, salt and potli. Cover and cook until meat is half done about 2 hours.
- Now separate meat and stock.
- Heat up ghee and fry onion to light brown, remove onion and blend it to make paste, return paste in ghee again.
- Now add ginger garlic paste, red chili powder, pisi kashmiri mirch/paprika powder and turmeric. Add meat and cook for 2-3 minutes.
- When ghee will separate, add yogurt and cook until yogurt water dries. You will see a nice color of masala at this stage.
- Now add reserved stock, cover and increase flame for 5 minutes when starts boiling reduce heat and cook until meat is fully tender about 2 hours and required broth left. If the broth is less then add a little more water. Check salt at this stage.
- Mix flour in 1 cup of water and pour the paste in gravy slowly to thicken it. Don’t add all the paste at once. It’s up to you how much thick gravy you want. Mix on high flame.
- Mix garam masala in ¼ cup of water and include it in thick gravy. Cover and simmer for 2-3 minutes. Pour over baghar.
- Dish out and serve with fried onion, lemon, green chilies, sliced ginger and green coriander.
- Serve with [url href=”http://wp.me/p3YeDU-1L7″]Baked Naan[/url]
- For Bagher: heat up ghee in a frying pan, add red chili powder, mix and remove from heat and immediately pour over nihari.
Note
For best result cook it in clay pot (mati ki handi).
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