- dry chillis OR 2 tsp. red chilli flakes
- 2 tsp. fennel seeds
- 1/2 tsp. black pepper
- 2 tsp. cumin seeds
- 2 tsp. coriander seeds
- 2 cloves
- 2 green cardamom
- 1 black cardamom
- 1 inch cinnamon stick
- 1 star anise flower
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tsp. red chilli powder
- 1/4 tsp. grated nutmeg
- 1 tsp. kashmiri chilli powder
- 1 tsp. garam masala
- 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
- 2 tbsp. Nihari Spice Mix (method of preparing explained below)
- 1 chicken, skin removed and cut into 8-10 pieces (1.5kg)
- 1/2 cup oil (you can mix ghee with oil if you like)
- 2 large onions, finely chopped
- 2 tsp. salt (or to taste)
- 1 tbsp. ginger paste
- 1 tbsp. garlic paste
- 8-10 cups of water (or as needed)
- 1/2 cup whole wheat (atta) flour
- handful of fried onions (for garnishing)
- julienned ginger (for garnishing)
- lemon slices (for garnishing)
- fresh chopped coriander (for garnishing)
- chopped green chillies (for garnishing)
This can be done up to2 months in advance and stored in an airtight container and used gradually as needed. The recipe makes 4 tbsp. of spice powder.
Put the first 11 from the spice ingredients onto a non-stick pan and roast for a few minutes over a low flame until the spices are fragrant. Do not let them colour or burn. Grind them into a fine powder. Then add the remaining 5 ingredients from the same list and mix everything well.
Next, you can begin to prepare the Nihari Chicken
Heat your oil in a deep pan (preferably non-stick), then add the onions and fry until lightly golden. Addd the ginger and garlic pastes and stir until aromatic. Next, add the chicken and stir-fry on medium high heat for about 10 minutes. Sprinkle the Nihari powder and stir well. Next, add the water and salt, give everything a stir and lower the heat. Cover the pot and allow to cook on VERY LOW gentle heat for an hour.
Whilst the chicken is cooking, warm up and lightly brown the atta flour on a small non-stick saucepan over low heat. This is to get rid of any raw smell from the flour and enhance the flavour. Allow the flour to cool in a bowl then add some water gradually whilst mixing to form a light paste with no lumps.
