Haji Noora Ki Nihari: Old Delhi’s Legendary Slow-Cooked Breakfast Stew

Tucked away in the narrow lanes of Bara Hindu Rao in Old Delhi, the Haji Noora Nihari is an utter street food legend. For more than 120 years, Haji Noora's has been serving one of Delhi's oldest and most iconic curries, a beef stew famous by the name of nihari. All over India and other foreign lands, food lovers line up before sunrise to find themselves lucky enough to grab a bite of this rich yet soulful breakfast stew.

Started by Haji Noora, the shop is currently in the hands of his family and has maintained the recipe and technique for generations. At the Haji Noora family-operated shop, meals are cooked in huge copper pans throughout the night. Noora Nihari is famous all over the world for its marvelous flavor provided by so many different spices, soft beef, with an addition of nalli (bone marrow) and maghaz (brain), which lend it a distinctive taste with a creamy texture.

Key Ingredients:

Beef shank (slow-cooked)

Nalli (bone marrow)

Maghaz (brain)

Homemade garam masala

Desi ghee

Fried onions

Ginger and coriander

Lemon juice

This stew requires soft, mildly sour khameeri roti that provides an ample balance to the heavy meat. Culinary expert Kalyan Karmakar calls it a “heritage dish that represents the true spirit of Mughlai street food of Old Delhi” when referring to Noora’s nihari.

Haji Noora ki Nihari needs to be tried at Bara Hindu Rao in order to imbibe Delhi's food culture. Do get there early — by 8 a.m., the pot is mostly empty!