Nihari

For other uses, see Nahari (disambiguation).
Nihari
Nihari with Khamiri Roti served in Delhi
CourseMain course (breakfast, lunch, dinner)
Place of originIndian subcontinent
Region or stateLucknow, Delhi[1][2]
Associated cuisineIndian (Awadhi), Pakistani, Bangladeshi[3]
Invented18th-century
Serving temperatureHot
Main ingredientsShank cut of beef, lamb and mutton, goat meat, or camel meat, as well as chicken and bone marrow
Other informationServed with naan or rice or Roti
  •   Media: Nihari

Nihari (Hindi: निहारी, Urdu: نہاری) is a stew of the Indian subcontinent, which consists of slow-cooked meat, mainly a shank cut of beef, lamb and mutton, or goat meat, as well as chicken and bone marrow. The two most common theories of origin postulate that nihari originated either in the Indian cities of Lucknow or Delhi.[1][2] It is flavoured with long pepper (pippali), a relative of black pepper and is often served with naan, roti or rice.

Etymology

The Hindi-Urdu name nihari originates from Arabic nahâr (نهار), meaning "morning";[4][5][6][7] it was originally eaten by nawabs in the Mughal Empire as a breakfast course following Fajr prayer.[5][7] It is served in the morning, though certain eateries, such as Kallu Mian of Delhi, serve it in the afternoon.[8]

History

The exact origins of Nihari are a subject of culinary debate, with The Bloomsbury Handbook of Indian Cuisine asserting the city of origin to be in the Indian cities of Lucknow or Delhi.[1] One largely accepted tradition attributes that nihari may have originated in the royal kitchens of the Indian city of Lucknow, Awadh (modern-day Uttar Pradesh, India), in the late 18th-century, during the last throes of the Mughal Empire.[6][9] Another theory postulates its origin in Delhi during the medieval period of India.[1][2] The dish later gained widespread popularity and eventually became a staple of the royal cuisine of Mughal-era nawabs, coming to be eaten throughout the Indian subcontinent.[10][11]

Popularity

Nihari is a traditional dish of the Indian cities of Lucknow, Delhi, and Bhopal.[8] Following the partition of India in 1947, many Urdu-speaking Muslims from northern India 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 and soon spread in prominence and availability across Pakistan.[12] Nihari is eaten in Bangladesh as well.[8]

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.[13] Nihari may be consumed with Khamiri Roti.[14][15]

Medicinal remedies

Nihari is also used as a home remedy for fever, rhinorrhea, and the common cold.[16]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d Sen, Colleen Taylor; Bhattacharyya, Sourish; Saberi, Helen (23 February 2023). The Bloomsbury Handbook of Indian Cuisine. Bloomsbury Publishing. ISBN 978-1-350-12864-4. Some claim it originated in Delhi in the late eighteenth century, others that ir originated in the kitchens of Awadh (see Lucknow).
  2. ^ a b c Hussain, Sadaf (14 January 2025). "Food history: How nihari went from being the humble food of the poor to a dish for the high table". Scroll.in. Retrieved 16 March 2026. The debate intensifies when the origins of nihari are discussed, with proponents from both Delhi and Lucknow vying for the culinary crown.
  3. ^ 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.
  4. ^ McGregor, Ronald Stuart (1993). The Oxford Hindi-English Dictionary. Oxford University Press. p. 576. ISBN 978-0-19-864317-3.
  5. ^ 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.
  6. ^ a b Chakravorty, Deblina (12 April 2012). "Nihari, a gift from Nawabs". The Times of India. Retrieved 5 March 2016.
  7. ^ a b "Nihari- historical recipe". Homtainment. 23 December 2020. Archived from the original on 27 May 2022. Retrieved 23 December 2020.
  8. ^ a b c Sen, Colleen Taylor; Bhattacharyya, Sourish; Saberi, Helen (23 February 2023). The Bloomsbury Handbook of Indian Cuisine. Bloomsbury Publishing. ISBN 978-1-350-12864-4.
  9. ^ Husain, Chef Izzat (16 August 2018). Izzat Ka Khana: Mughlai Cuisine Recipes. Notion Press. p. 06. ISBN 978-1643241500. The well known Nihari originated in Lucknow during the construction of the Rumi Gate; It was invented for labourers who worked for construction in huge numbers. A vital food was required for workers, then some Bawarchis, the Chefs, and Hakeems, the medicos decided to cock the dish with the whole buff in a large vessel prepared overnight with some energetic spices and herbs. A whole buff cooked in a large dek and was served with tandoori roti. All the workers were served in the Morning. Nehar is a Arabic word which means "Morning" therefore it got its term "Nahari." When the taste and other benefits of Nahari got popular widely among officials including the king, who turned a fan of Nahari himself. Then he ordered Nahari for his royal kitchen. Later, Nahari was placed in the menu of the royal kitchen moderating with a lot of improvements, which was later turned into "Shahi-Nahari." Apparently, Delhi and Lahore were also administrative cities that time. Nehari also toured these cities, and it was stretched to the world of Urdu speaking nations. One can easily observe its popularity among the restaurants of Lucknow along with the double layered crispy kulcha.
  10. ^ "In celebration of winter's perfect dish, the mutton nihari!". Hindustan Times. 4 November 2017. Retrieved 30 January 2021.
  11. ^ "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.
  12. ^ Noorani, Asif. "Nihari a la Mexican style". The Hindu Business Line. Archived from the original on 23 May 2013. Retrieved 5 March 2016.
  13. ^ 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.
  14. ^ Ahuja, Aashna (9 September 2017). "The Legacy of Kallu Mian, Old Delhi's Legendary Nihari Walla". NDTV. Retrieved 16 March 2026.
  15. ^ Deepak, Sharanya (8 January 2016). "The Indian Meal That Is a National Sentiment, a Political Rebellion, and a Piece of History". Roads & Kingdoms. Retrieved 16 March 2026.
  16. ^ "What is Nihari?". indiacurry.com. Archived from the original on 19 December 2014. Retrieved 28 November 2014.
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