Chef Rafia's One Hour Nihari

Slice 1.5 medium red onions thinly.

Peel all cloves from 1 head of garlic.

Heat 1 cup of vegetable oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the sliced 1.5 medium red onions and fry until deeply golden brown and crispy.

Remove the fried onions from the pan using a slotted spoon, leaving the oil in the pan. Set aside the fried onions and the oil separately.

In a chopper or blender, combine all the peeled garlic cloves, 1 cubed inch piece of fresh ginger, about 0.5 medium of the reserved fried onions, and 0.25 cup of water. Blend until a smooth paste is formed.

Transfer the reserved oil from frying onions into a pressure cooker. Add 1 kg of beef, the prepared ginger-garlic-onion paste, 1 tablespoon of Kashmiri red chili powder, and 1 packet (60g) of Shan Nihari Masala. Add enough water to cover the meat (approximately 4-5 cups, not explicitly shown but implied for pressure cooking).

Close the pressure cooker and cook on full flame for 30 minutes.

While the beef is cooking, sift 0.5 cup of all-purpose flour into a dry pan. Roast the flour over medium heat until it turns light brown and fragrant, stirring constantly.

Transfer the roasted flour to a bowl and mix it with 1 cup of water to create a smooth, lump-free thickening paste.

Prepare the garnishes: julienne the remaining 1 inch piece of fresh ginger and chop 2 green chilies. Chop 0.25 cup of fresh coriander and cut 1 lemon into wedges.

After 30 minutes, carefully release the pressure from the cooker.

Transfer the Nihari from the pressure cooker to a larger pot. Using tongs or a ladle, carefully remove any excess oil (tari) and the bone marrow (nalli) from the top of the gravy. Set them aside for garnish.

Strain the prepared flour paste into the Nihari gravy, stirring continuously to prevent lumps. Cook for another 5 to 10 minutes, or until the gravy thickens to your desired consistency.