Nihari is a fragrant, spiced meat curry native to India and Pakistan’s Muslim population, but what makes it really special is its lip-smacking richness.
Sumaiya Jawedan, a Tasmanian migrant from India and star home cook in the short film Flavour Swap, makes sure there’s a healthy dose of bone marrow in her family nihari recipe.
“It really gives an awesome flavour - a richness,” she says.
Jawedan is Muslim, so unlike many other Indians she eats beef, and prefers the beef shin for her recipe as it contains plenty of bone marrow. All of the rich beef fat helps carry flavour from Jawedan’s masala, fragrancing the dish (important sidenote, marrow bones can be used to amp up any slow-cooked meat curry).
Jawedan's nihari recipe
Nihari
Each region across India and Pakistan has its own variation of nihari, so for Jawedan, who grew up in Lucknow, Northern India, nihari needs to be extra spicy with plenty of bone marrow.
The hearty dish is typically eaten for breakfast, after cooking all night. “The meat has practically disintegrated,” says Jawedan, who serves her nihari with homemade naan bread to soak up the gravy.
Sharing her recipe with chefs Oskar Rossi and Federica Andrisani of upscale Italian Hobart restaurant, Fico, was a new experience for Jawedan.
Preparing nihari pasta at Fico. Source: Matthew Newton
She invited the chefs into her home to cook her nihari recipe as part of the Flavour Swap documentary in which Rossi and Andrisani then interpreted the meal into their own inspired dish. Both dishes were then served for a lunch event at Tasmanian art museum Mona.
Rossi and Andrisani's nihari pasta
Nihari pasta with saffron and bone marrow sauce (Capelli del prete alla nihari)
Living in Australia has meant many other new experiences and independence both inside and outside the kitchen.
Jawedan had an arranged marriage at the age of 19, but when she moved to Australia with her partner, she found a new level of freedom.
“In Australia I found women are very independent. They are doing jobs, they’re wearing what they like, they’re eating what they like.
“I learned to drive here and to go out. I can’t [even] tell you the importance of freedom.”
