Pakistani Beef Nihari (Slow-Cooked Shank Stew)

Ingredients

• 3 lb bone-in beef shank, cross-cut into 2- to 3-inch pieces
• 1 lb beef marrow bones, optional
• 2 tsp kosher salt, divided, plus more to taste
• 1/2 cup ghee or neutral oil, divided
• 2 medium yellow onions, sliced thin
• 2 tbsp finely grated fresh ginger
• 2 tbsp finely grated garlic
• 2 tbsp ground coriander
• 2 tsp Kashmiri chile powder
• 1 tsp ground turmeric
• 2 tsp fennel seeds
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 tsp black peppercorns
• 1 star anise
• 1 black cardamom pod, lightly crushed
• 4 green cardamom pods, lightly crushed
• 5 whole cloves
• 1 cinnamon stick, 2 inches
• 1 small blade mace
• 1/8 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
• 2 bay leaves
• 8 cups hot water, plus more as needed
• 1/3 cup whole-wheat atta flour
• 1 cup cool water, for the flour slurry
• 2 inches fresh ginger, cut into fine matchsticks, for serving
• 1/2 cup chopped cilantro, for serving
• 2 green chiles, sliced, for serving
• 2 lemons, cut into wedges, for serving
• Warm naan or kulcha, for serving

Method

1. 1.Pat the shank and marrow bones dry and season them with 1 1/2 teaspoons salt. Tie the fennel, cumin, peppercorns, star anise, black and green cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, mace, nutmeg and bay leaves in a double layer of cheesecloth.
2. 2.Heat 6 tablespoons ghee in a heavy 7- to 8-quart Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Brown the shank in batches for 4 to 5 minutes per side, until deeply colored; transfer each batch to a tray. Brown the marrow bones briefly if using.
3. 3.Lower the heat to medium and add the onions. Cook 12 to 15 minutes, stirring often, until deep golden rather than black. Reserve one quarter of the onions for garnish, then stir the grated ginger and garlic into the pot for 1 minute.
4. 4.Add the ground coriander, Kashmiri chile and turmeric. Stir for 30 seconds, just until fragrant, then return the beef, bones and accumulated juices. Turn everything through the spiced fat for 2 minutes.
5. 5.Add the spice bag and 8 cups hot water. Bring to a boil, skim the foam, then lower the heat until only an occasional bubble breaks the surface. Cover tightly and simmer 4 1/2 to 5 1/2 hours, turning the shank once or twice and adding hot water only to keep it mostly submerged.
6. 6.Meanwhile, put the atta in a dry skillet over medium-low heat. Stir continuously for 5 to 8 minutes, until it is evenly light brown and smells nutty. Cool completely, then whisk with 1 cup cool water into a smooth, pourable slurry.
7. 7.Check the meat: nihari is ready for thickening when a fork slides through the shank without resistance and the collagen around the bones feels gelatinous. Lift the beef carefully to a tray and remove the spice bag; discard any loose bone fragments.
8. 8.Bring the gravy to a gentle simmer. Whisk the flour slurry again, then pour it in slowly while whisking the pot continuously. Simmer 15 to 20 minutes, stirring and scraping often, until the gravy coats a spoon in a thin silky layer with no flour taste. Do not make it as thick as paste.
9. 9.Return the meat to the gravy with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Simmer uncovered 15 minutes, basting the shank, until the meat is hot and the gravy glistens with a light layer of spiced fat. Taste a cooled spoonful and adjust salt, not chile, first.
10. 10.Rest the covered pot off heat for 20 minutes so the fat and flour settle into the gravy. If excess fat collects, spoon some off but leave a visible sheen; if the gravy tightens too much, loosen it with a little boiling water.
11. 11.Ladle one shank piece and plenty of gravy into each bowl. Top with reserved fried onion, ginger matchsticks, cilantro and green chile. Squeeze lemon over each serving and eat with hot naan or kulcha.
12. 12.Remove meat from large bones before storage. Cool the stew in shallow containers within 2 hours, refrigerate up to 4 days and reheat gently to 165°F, stirring in water as needed; the gelatin will make cold nihari look much firmer than it is when hot.