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Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar. It is a month when all Muslims across the globe observe a period of fasting and reflection. There aren't any specific annual dates for Ramadan; since it depends on the lunar calendar, the start and end of the holy month are demarcated by the shape of the crescent moon. The observation of Ramadan is considered to be one of the 5 pillars of the faith, held in order to commemorate Prophet Muhammad’s first revelation. Fasting from dawn to dusk is mandatory for all adult Muslims, with exceptions being made if one suffers from acute or chronic illness, is diabetic, traveling, elderly, breastfeeding, or menstruating.
The pre-dawn meal, before commencing the fast is called ‘Suhoor’, and the meal at dusk, that breaks the fast, is called ‘Iftar’. The food consumed for Suhoor varies from place to place, but, more often than not, it is a light meal consisting of a small portion of calorie-dense food. The same applies to Iftar. The food consumed as a part of this meal differs greatly depending on the region in consideration. Iftar is the second meal of the day, and devotees usually break the fast as a community with three dates, in order to emulate the Prophet Muhammed, who broke his fast the same way. However, this is not mandatory. Muslims also feed other people iftar as charity.
In Mumbai, Nihari is a perennial favorite for Iftar. Nihari is a flour-based stew enriched with lamb or beef shanks, plenty of fat from the cuts themselves, and ghee. Most vendors in Mumbai sell nalli nihari, which is made using lamb shanks. The delicacy is sold year round. Owing to the nature of the preparation, most vendors add a few kilograms of unsold portions to the next day’s batch. This reused bit is called taar, and is said to add flavor to the dish. Some outlets claim to have kept their batch of taar going for well over a century! One can find several outlets in Bohri Mohalla, a locale frequented by devotees looking to break their fast. The Bohra community is a small sect of Shia muslims who have lived in the Bhendi Bazar district for generations. They were originally from Gujarat. The most famous Nihari outlet here is Surti 12 Handi. Unlike most outlets in Mumbai, Surti 12 Handi makes its Nihari with beef, serving a unique bhel that is made with meat and gravy from the outlet’s many handis. It is served with Khamiri roti (a naturally fermented flatbread).
The origins of Nihari have long been contested. Some say that the delicacy was invented in 18th-century Delhi towards the end of Mughal rule. The other story, which is more widely accepted, states that it was created in the royal kitchens of Awadh (Lucknow). It gained popularity as a dish that kept Nawabs (governors) warm during winter months due to its high caloric density. The name Nihari comes from the Arabic word ‘Nahar’, meaning day, as Nawabs usually consumed the dish after Fajr, i.e. their sunrise prayers, and slept until noon. This dish was long reserved for Awadhi royalty, given how expensive and labor intensive the dish was to prepare. However, this gradually began to change as workers started to reap the benefits of the dish’s caloric density. Since the proportion of fat and protein in the dish was exponentially higher in contrast to the carbs, workers would experience a relatively slow insulin spike throughout the day, giving them sustained energy with deceased cravings. Nihari is a heavy meal, and was eaten by itself for the longest time, but you'd be hard pressed to find an outlet that doesn’t sell it with flatbread in this day and age.
Pre-partition, Nihari was exclusively consumed by Indian Muslim communities in Lucknow, Delhi, and Bhopal. After 1947, Urdu-speaking Muslims migrated all over the country and set up Nihari outlets. A large number of migrants also set up shops in Dhaka and Karachi, where Nihari turned out to be a huge commercial success.
The way Nihari is prepared differs from vendor to vendor, and is usually a closely guarded trade and family secret. In its most traditional iteration, nihari can be extremely difficult and labor intensive to prepare. It is cooked by skilled chefs using special apparatus, usually in several handis (pots) which are partially buried, and fueled by firewood. The chefs take great pride in their work, given its complexities, and the number of years of work it takes to master the craft.
