Chicken Nihari

Nihari is a most popular dish among Muslims in India, Pakistan and Bangladesh. Traditional Nihari recipes used to be cooked overnight or a minimum of 6 - 8 hours usually served during winter mornings or whenever someone had cold, but you can also serve it for lunch or dinner. Although with today's lifestyle, slow cooking is something we all choose to avoid or most of the times search for alternatives. Nihari is made using red meat, like goat, lamb or beef. But I used chicken for this quick Nihari recipe which filled my home with the aroma of all the wonderful spices. 

Ingredients:-

• 1 kg chicken
• ¼ kg onions (ground) 
• ¾ cup oil
• ¼ cup all purpose flour
• ¼ cup wheat flour
• 2 tbsp g-g paste  
• 1 tbsp red chilli pdr
• 1 tsp coriander pdr 
• 1 tsp cumin pdr
• ¾ tsp fennel seeds (crushed)
• ½ tsp dry ginger pdr
• ½ tsp mace pdr
• ¼ tsp nutmeg pdr
• ¼ tsp black salt
• a pinch turmeric pdr
• salt to taste
• green chillies for garnishing (cut diagonally)
• ginger for garnishing (peeled and cut in julienne)
• coriander leaves for garnishing (finely chopped)
• lemon wedges (opt)

Method:-

• Dry roast all purpose flour and wheat flour in a pan stirring continuously on slow flame till well roasted and you get a nice aroma.
• Heat oil in a wok.
• Add onions and saute till light brown.
• Add chicken along with g-g paste and saute well till chicken is brown.
• Add salt, nutmeg pdr, dry ginger pdr, coriander pdr, mace pdr, fennel seeds, black salt, turmeric pdr, cumin pdr and red chilli pdr.
• Mix well and cook on slow flame till oil separates.
• Add water so much that chicken is fully inserted.
• Cook till boils. Simmer flame for 10 minutes.
• Add water to the roasted all purpose flour and wheat flour to make a batter consistency.
• Whisk well and add to chicken.
• Mix well and cook for another 5 -7 minutes on slow flame.
• Garnish with green chillies, ginger and coriander leaves.
• Serve hot with naan or rice.

Notes:-

• You may avoid roasting the flour and add it directly to the chicken but the cooking time will increase if you do so.

Happy Cooking!!

Sending this entry to :- Srivalli's Side Dish Mela and Amrita's Teacher's Favourite Dish Event and Amrita's Party Event