EPICURIOUS: A MORNING AFFAIR
If you are a true Karachiite, you know Sabri/Zahid/Javed/Waheed nihari like you do the Arabian Sea. Actually, possibly more.
Ah nihari! What can I tell you about its magic that you don’t already know — its flavour, texture, aroma, colour and yes, the magic! , how did it come to be, and why do we love it so?
In my understanding and love affair with food, and writing, I have come to understand that slow-cooked foods have an enhanced flavour and tenderness unlike the everyday fare at our meal tables, and there is a science behind it. The silkiness and shine of nihari is not happenstance, it’s the deliberate slow cooking that enhances the hidden composition of the meat-cut used in nihari, and the sheen of melted collagen, which mostly goes unnoticed when cooked as a part of, quick, everyday meals.
A slow-cooked, one-pot breakfast that lasts the whole day
Tenderness in meat is the result of the melting of collagen, which is the connective tissue protein present in meat. Once it melts it turns to gelatin, a rich liquid that gives meat a lot of flavour and shine, as well as the silky texture. However, in order for collagen to completely melt, it must not only be heated, but cooked at low temperatures for extended length, ensuring that slow-cooked meats have a unique and unmistakable tenderness and flavour — rich, deep and soul-stirring, much like our delectable nihari.
Slow cooking works best with fatty, tough cuts of meat like beef shoulder, round or leg, and cooked best when exposed to low heat. The cooking method of preparing nihari remains ancient and unchanged. The lid of the heavy-based deg was sealed to maintain maximum heat and steam for slow cooking. The meat was braised and then left to simmer in the aromatic and delightfully-spicy essence of masala. Gently the meat would soak the flavour of the spices as they infused the heartiness of the meat and melted in the heat of the moment. It was almost like one was seducing the other to create the magic of nihari.