Beef Nehari ~ Indian Beef Shank Stew
Author: 
Recipe type: Breakfast
Cuisine: Indian
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 6 servings
 
A hearty Indian style stew made with chunks of beef and bone.
Ingredients
  • 3 pounds/1.5kg large beef/lamb chunks with bone or beef/mutton shanks
  • 3 tablespoons oil
  • 1 tablespoon cumin, ground
  • 1 tablespoon coriander, ground
  • 2 teaspoons turmeric
  • 1 teaspoon cayenne chilli powder
  • 2 teaspoons garlic, minced
  • 2 teaspoons ginger, minced
  • 6 cups of water
  • 1 large onion, sliced thinly and fried
  • 8 cardamom pods
  • 2 cinnamon sticks
  • 3 teaspoons fennel seeds
  • 6 cloves
  • ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
  • ¼ teaspoon mace
  • ¼ cup flour
  • 2 cups of water
  • salt to taste
  • fresh ginger, julienned
  • cilantro
  • mint
  • limes
  • naan for serving
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 300F/120C
  2. Wash and dry the meat.
  3. In a large dutch oven, add the oil and brown the meat.
  4. Even browning isn't necessary, just get some colour on it.
  5. Remove the meat and pour out the oil if more than a tablespoon.
  6. Otherwise, add the coriander, cumin, chilli powder, turmeric and garlic and ginger.
  7. Toss the meat around in the spices and cook a minute.
  8. Add the 6 cups of water and stir, scraping the bottom with a wooden spoon to deglaze.
  9. Bring the pot up to a boil, cover with the lid and place in the oven.
  10. Let the meat cook slowly for about 2-3 hours.
  11. While the meat is in the oven, have the fried onions ready and grind all the remaining spices.
  12. Make a slurry with the ¼ cup of flour and 1 cup of water.
  13. After 2-3 hours, slowly remove the dutch oven and add the fried onions with their oil, the ground spice mixture, 1 cup of water and the flour slurry.
  14. Stir carefully and then cover and cook for another hour till the meat is tender and the gravy is thick.
  15. How long it takes to tenderise the meat depends on the meat and for me, altitude.
  16. Generally, at 5600 feet/1706m, it takes me a long tome to get meat tender. That's why I use a pressure cooker most of the time.
  17. But sometimes, you just want the slow cook flavour and then you have to put aside some time.
  18. The meat took about 4 hours to get really tender and fall off the bone soft.
  19. By this time the gravy was rich and thick.
  20. If you are at sea level, check your meat at the 2 hour mark and then if it's getting soft, add the flour slurry, onions and spices.
  21. Cook for another hour, for a total of 3-3½ hours.
  22. When it's time to serve, taste for salt and add as needed.
  23. Put ginger slivers, cilantro, mint and limes on the table for guests to garnish as desired.
  24. Serve with warm naan.
Recipe by Coffee and Crumpets at https://www.coffeeandcrumpets.com/beef-nehari-indian-beef-shank-stew/