Mutton Paya is going to blow your mind and your taste buds!
A bit lengthy post, if you don’t have time, please scroll down to the recipe.
About this recipe….let me share my nostalgic memories associated with “Paya”. When I worked in Chennai (South India) my colleagues and I used to splurge when our spirits needed a boost, and Mughal’s Zaika always came through for us.Mughal’s Zaika is a small age old restaurant and every dish at the hotel is fantastic, but the Biryani and Aatukal paya /mutton paya is by far the crown jewel on the menu! Once it’s cooked and served; they are sold out in no time! For some reason I always ended up ordering this delicacy whenever we ate there. On knowing my temptation towards this recipe; my amma (mom) tried making it, though it tasted yum, I have yet to taste one that comes close to matching the flavor and snap of the original.
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Well, Paya is a heavy stew created from trotters/ feet of goat or lamb, bones from the leg with rich gelatin marrow covered with meat. Most cultures will have some variation of thisrecipe in their repertoire. India being such a culturally varied country, each region adapted this recipe and added a few changes toaccommodatetheir taste. In North India,mutton/goat/lamb paaya is served as a breakfast dish or soup with rice, nann,roti or dosas. Also believed it to have medicinal properties and are regularly recommended for recuperating patients for its nourishment. The recipe below has been cooked with pressure cooker.You can also choose between cooking it in the traditional method, or cooking it in pressure cooker – either way, it’s delicious.
Most of Mughlai restaurants and small age old hotels/cafes serve this dish regularly but depending on where you visit there are quite a few preparations for Paya. Cleaning is extremely tough, they smoke the trotters or roast them over open fire to burn off the hair from the feet and hoof. Time consuming and needs extra care to do it perfectly but tastes out of this world. This can be done by butchers. The other way is to skin the trotter and leave the bones with little meat.
Coming to my preparation, the goat trotters which I got was cleaned trotters with skin on; but not burned . So I roasted the skin over fire to burn off any loose hair and to get the smoky look and flavor. But before we plunge into more elaborate recipes, let’s not forget the yummiest and best way to eat a paya; after all thepreparationis done, keep it unopened for overnight or up to 4-6 hrs.
Yes, it’s time-consuming and involved, but well worth the effort. This is such a healthy and yummy dish, especially if you do have a little something to add on the side; Idiyappam, Appam,Naan,Roti.
Do try it if you get hold of Lamb/Goat Trotters, it is amazingly good…Enjoy!
Mutton Paya Recipe – Aatukal Paya Recipe – Lamb-Goat Trotters in a Spicy Rich Gravy Recipe
Preparation Time : 30 mins
Cooking Time : 1 1/2 hr in pressure cooker (or) 4 1/2 hrs in traditional cooking
Serves : 6
Ingredients :
To Pressure Cook :
Mutton /Lamb /Goats trotters : 5-6 (2 feet and leg of lamb chopped into pieces)
Bay Leaves : 2
Black Peppercorns : 1/4 tsp
Fennel Seeds : 1/4 tsp
For the Masala Paste :
Freshly Grated Coconut : 1/2 cup
Coriander Seeds :2 tbsp
Sesame Seeds :2 tbsp
Cloves : 4
Green Cardamom : 6 pods
Black Peppercorns : 1/4 tsp
For Gravy :
Cooking Oil :3 tbsp
Onion : 1 (large, finely chopped )
GreenChilies: 2-4 (or to spice tolerance level)
Garlic : 8-10 cloves
Ginger : 2″ piece
Kashmiri ChillPowder or Mild Paprika Powder :1 1/2 tsp
Yogurt /Curd :4 tbsp (whisked well)
Coriander Leaves : 2 tbsp (finely chopped)
Mint Leaves : 2 tbsp (finely chopped)
Salt to taste
Juice of 1 lemon
How to makeMutton Paya – Aatukal Paya – Goat Trotters in a Spicy Rich Curry
How to Clean Goat/Lamb/Mutton Trotters for Paya:
1. Mutton paya requires an extensive cleaning process before it can be cooked. When buying make sure the butcher gives you the best trotters which is cleaned and burned.
2. First thoroughly rinse in clear running water. Now you need to remove any hair that the butcher left on them.
3. You can do this by burning them off with a flame from a gas or with butane torch (The kind chefs use to toast meringue). (Note: Be patience and do it carefully so as not to scorch the skin – both yours and the trotter’s)
4. Make sure to check the trotters burnt properly and hair is removed completely; if there are any remains of burnt hair then scrap the burnt hair using a knife.
5. Then scald them in boiling water for about 2-3 minutes. Then give them a soak in 1/2 cup undiluted lemon or lime juice or vinegar 10-15 minutes. (Or) scrub well the trotters with a mixture of rice flour and salt for 10 minutes and left to soak in the mixture for 5 mins to draw out dirt and toxins.
6. After 5 min using a scrub pad; scrub the trotters and make sure all of the char skin and any brunt tissue is removed properly.
7. Once the trotters are cleaned; rinse them for 3-4 times in running water make sure all of the rice flour and salt have washed thoroughly.
8. Pour enough water to the cleaned mutton trotters, so that all the pieces will be immersed completely, cook uncovered and allow to boil. When the water boils, remove and and discard the water.
Preparing Mutton Paya /Aatukal Paya :
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1. In a pressure cooker; add all the cleaned trotters along with the bay leaves, fennel seeds and peppercorns. Add water covering all the trotters; about 2 liters /8.5 cup (approx) and pressure cook for 15 whistle (20 mins) over high flame. (Note : It may take longer for trotters with lots of meat. Steaming time varies from 20 minutes to an hour depending on the cut of the meat.) (OR) If your cooking traditional way thenin a stock pot add all the cleaned trotters and cooks as above. Bring the paya to a boil and simmer gently for 3 hours.
2.Grind ginger,garlic,green chillies to coarse paste and set it aside.
3. Dry roast all the ingredients listed above “For the ground paste” on medium heat. Saute them for couple ofminutesor until thecolorstart to change. Turn the heat off and set it aside; let them cool. Once cooled add everything in blender/mixie and ground to coarse paste and set aside.
4.After pressure cooker done with 15 whistle and after it comes to full pressure; reduce the fire to medium and then switch of the flame and let it cool naturally. After pressure settles open the pressure cooker. (Or) Once the Paya has been boiling for 3 hrs in sauce pan turn the heat off.
5. Strain the stock and keep the paya aside. At this stage the paya might be slightly gelatinous and sticky. (so we needs a bit more cooking time along with the spices in the gravy.)
6. Heat oil in a large heavy bottom sauce pan. Add the chopped onions andsautethe onions till it turns light pink and translucent.
7. Now add the ginger-garlic-green chilli paste. Stir well for couple of minutes tillraw smell goes.
8. Add the grounded paste and fry mixing well for 5-7 minutes until you oil leave the sides of the pan.
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9. Add the kashmiri red chilli powder and stir. Lower the heat to low and add in the beaten yogurta tablespoon at a time. Stir well to make sure it doesn’t curdle butenhancetheflavorsto form a rich gravy with all the spices.
10. Add the paya to the gravy and increase the heat back to medium, Mix well so that all trotters pieces is coated well with spice mix.
11. Now add the most of the stock of paya and bring the paya curry to a boil. (Note : Leave a couple of ladles of the stock aside for later.)
12. Simmer gently for a further hour. Make sure to stir often or so just so it doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan. If you find the gravy is too thick you can add a little more of the left over stock.
13. Season with salt and juice of a lemon.Garnishwith freshcoriander& mint leaves.
14. Remove from the fire and keepuncoveredfor overnight or if you want to eat the same day, then let it restat leastfor 4-6hrs.
15. Serve withIdiyappam,Appam,Naan,Rotior withRiceand Enjoy!
Notes :
- For best result prepare the paya curry overnight and serve next day. It tastes Yummy!
- Paya requires an extensive cleaning process before it can be cooked. If it’s cooked with the skin, make sure to roast the trotters over a fire to burn off any loose hair.If you prefer you can ask your butcher to take the skin off and leave the little meat on with the bone.
Related Posts :
Nadan Mutton Soup /Country Style Lamb/Goat Soup
Kerala Mutton Stew
Rogan Josh /Kashmiri Lamb Curry /Lamb in Spiced Rich Gravy
Kerala Mutton Curry
Happy Weekend!
Sangeetha
