• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
The Spice Adventuress

Food and Stories......without Borders

  • Home
  • About
  • Recipes
  • Let’s Work Together
  • Portfolio
  • Travel
  • Restaurants
Home » Nonvegetarian » Lamb/Mutton » Nalli Gosht (Lamb Shanks simmered in yoghurt and spices)

Nalli Gosht (Lamb Shanks simmered in yoghurt and spices)

November 10, 2015 by Dhanya Samuel 5 Comments

I sat down to write this post and poof….the mind’s blank!

Nalli Gosht (Lamb Shanks simmered in yoghurt and spices) - thespiceadventuress.com

Words aren’t flowing easily though there are tons of things I would like to share with all of you. On the more positive side, I received a mail from Leon who has created an infographic for rebateszone.com on ‘Top 50 Food Bloggers in Australia’. And ‘The Spice Adventuress’ is right there at No. 30….

Getting back to today’s recipe, I am sure most of you would have read the Andhra style egg curry which I had posted a few weeks ago. I wanted to try out another dish from the ‘Indian Kitchen’ and it had to be this rather indulgent Nalli Gosht or lamb shanks simmered in yoghurt and spices.

Nalli Gosht is a traditional and famous Nihari dish.

Most people confuse the term ‘Nihari’ with a particular recipe. But at a generic level, it actually refers to a particular type of South Asian curry that involves slow cooked lamb or beef cooked on the bones along with the marrow. The term ‘Nihari’ is used as a prefix to denote that the curry is usually served as a meal after the Muslim sunrise (Fajr) prayers which is followed by a long rest before going off to the afternoon (Zhuhr) prayers.

History is a little skewed as to the origins of the Nihari cooking. While some say the practice began during the Mughal times in Old Delhi, others state that these dishes come out of the royal kitchens of Awadh (present day Uttar Pradesh). The latter theory holds more promise and Nalli Gosht is often considered as a Nihari dish from Lucknow.

But over the course of time especially post-independence era, Nihari dishes evolved as an integral part of South Asian Muslim cuisine and today, there are several countries like Bangladesh and Pakistan where these dishes are extremely popular. In fact, the national dish of Pakistan is Nihari Beef.

1
blog3

Nalli Gosht remains an Indian subcontinent favourite. The lamb shanks are slow cooked in an extremely flavourful gravy made from a mélange of spices, aromatics and yoghurt till the meat falls off the bone.

In the olden days, slow cooking was a tedious process especially having to depend on wood or coal fire. To get the temperatures right and prolong the cooking time, special vessels called ‘shab deg’ would be used in which the meat with the spices and stock are left overnight to achieve the right flavour and consistency in time for the morning meal.

Traditionally, the meat is served along with a thin or soup like gravy but I have allowed the gravy to thicken slightly more which is purely a personal preference. Again, adding yoghurt seems to be a matter of much debate. My research has shown that some versions of Nalli Gosht, especially prepared in Lucknow adds yoghurt.


While in the earlier days, this dish would have been served to the labourers who worked on the massive construction projects of the royals, today it has become an indulgent preparation for special days. The cooking process is never hurried; modern gadgets like the pressure cooker simply do not bring out the flavour enough. Slow cooking is the best way to draw out maximum flavour from the bones and for the yoghurt and spices to transform itself into a rich, deep, dark and flavourful gravy.

Nalli Gosht is well worth the effort and if you eat lamb, this has to be eaten at least once in your lifetime…..

(Recipe adapted from Indian Kitchen)

Ingredients:
1. 2 lamb shanks (around 300 gms)
2. 6 large garlic cloves
3. 1 inch ginger
Find the full recipe here.

blog2


Recipe developed, styled and shot for Supreme Seafood.

Previous Post: « Almond Yoghurt Green Smoothie and Coconut Yoghurt Zucchini Dip
Next Post: Avani – an Indian Food and Wine Experience in Mornington Peninsula, Victoria »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Abida

    November 15, 2015 at 11:37 am

    My family is from Bangladesh but sadly I have never tried this dish before. I need to change that because your pictures make this looks too delicious! I have included your link in my weekly round up on my blog here http://www.theredlychee.com/the-weekly-round-up-9-2/

    Reply
    • vanyadhanya

      November 15, 2015 at 12:14 pm

      Thanks Abida; hope it inspires many to cook this.

      Reply
  2. Mr Fitz

    November 11, 2015 at 4:35 pm

    Oh yeah!

    Reply
  3. Jhuls

    November 10, 2015 at 6:47 am

    This looks delicious!! 😀

    Reply
    • vanyadhanya

      November 10, 2015 at 6:57 am

      Thanks much Jhuls

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Primary Sidebar

Find A Recipe

NEVER MISS A RECIPE!

Sign up for new recipes, tips, techniques to make cooking more fun. Also find inspiration to plan your next holiday or the best restaurants to dine out.

Hi, I am Dhanya. The Spice Adventuress is my alter ego. Through her, I fulfill my desire to put my thoughts into words, explore my restless creative soul and express it through food and photography.

Read My Journey


© 2023 • The Spice Adventuress • Privacy Policy • Disclosure Policy