Winter is anything but drab with this delicious Chicken Nihari on the menu to warm our soul.
No doubt, everyone will be ladling up seconds.
This well-loved stew is deeply comforting, easy to make and filled with hearty earthy and aromatic flavours.
Chicken Nihari is a popular dish from the Royal Kitchen of the Nawabs of Lucknow. The name ‘Nihari’ comes from the Arabic word ‘nahar’ which means morning. This tasty and spicy chicken recipe was traditionally cooked for breakfast of the Nawab. These days, this exotic dish is also prepared during special occasions like festivals, marriage etc.
Nihari is traditionally made with mutton or beef. However, I’m here for a lighter and simpler version of this delightful recipe using chicken.
Another interesting fact about this chicken nihari, is that it is also a great homemade remedy for common colds and fever.
If you are a true foodie, then you must love chicken Nihari. Nihari has a special, unique taste and earthy aromatic flavours.
Imagine eating something this rich for breakfast! Those Nawabs certainly had some lavish appetite.
This chicken stew is a labour of love. Best not to rush. It must be slow cooked. Use a heavy bottom pan.
The Nihari spice mix is the key to making this dish so earthy and aromatic instead of leaving you with a hot burn.
The fried onion part can be skipped but it adds a mild sweetness to balance out the spice.
The julienne ginger is optional however the ginger bite adds to the warmth.
So let’s get started..
Chicken Nihari
Ingredients
- Nihari Spice:
- 3 dry red Kashmiri chillies
- 1 tsp fennel seeds
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 3 bay leaves
- 2 cinnamon bark
- 7 green cardamoms
- 1 tsp black pepper
- ½ tsp cloves
- 1 x star anise
- To braise the chicken:
- 500g chicken fillets (cubed)
- 1 onion (sliced and fried)
- 1 green chili (slit)
- Curry leaves
- 1 tbs Kashmiri chili powder
- Salt to taste
- 1 tbs heaped ginger garlic paste
- 1 big spoon of ghee
- ½ cup double thick plain yoghurt
- 1 tbs wholewheat flour
- 3 tbs water
- 2½ cups water
- Fresh coriander
- Fresh julienne ginger
Instructions
- Dry roast Nihari spices over low to medium heatfor 2-3 minutes, then blitz to a powder form.
- Melt ghee in a large saucepan and add chicken cubes.
- Allow to brown a bit to seal in the juices.
- Stir in the ginger garlic paste.
- Add in the Nihari spice and stir to combine.
- It smells heavenly.
- Add in the Kashmiri chili powder.
- Allow the chicken to fry in the spices
- Add in the fried onion, curry leaves and chili.
- Stir in the yoghurt and add in another green chili if you wish.
- Continue to cook the chicken whilst adding the wholewheat flour slurry made with the 3 tablespoons of water.
- Add in 2 1/2 cups of water and allow the chickento cook until tender.
- Garnish with fresh coriander and fresh julienne ginger.
- I served this with brown basmati rice.
