How to make Mutton Paya Soup / Curry

Paya curry / soup is one of the most highest rated dish amongst muslims, but it takes a lot of pain according to some to clean it as the left out dirt or hair sticks to the skin of paya or previously not properly cleaned by the butcher. I agree it takes time to clean but I am so use to it that I hardly feel that it consumes time, and though even if it does its simply worth it.

My parental side , my aunts , they add potatoes in paya curry but I make it in a very different way though, in fact my grand ma style I still remember is to add few split Bengal gram ( chana dal ) but I make it so often now that sometimes I add channa dal and sometimes I don’t….

Paya/ trotters are said to be one of the tasty and delicious among other parts of lamb..Though bade ke paya is all time famous across the streets of MOHAMMED ALI road….
Again I prefer preparing paya on vessel or thick deep pan other than in pressure cooker, but if you run out of time then no choice other than cooking paya in cooker….

I still remember my teen days during the auspicious nights, chachi’s ( aunts) use to make Paya as a special dish and being in the joint family , we all use to have it during dinner time after namaz (prayers) and that too every one together ….oh..! it was fun….

I love paya with kadak pav ( crispy breads ) they simply taste yummy…….here is my recipe of mutton paya curry / mutton paya soup/ trotters curry without much hassle…..

INGREDIENTS:

4 Lamb Trotters cleaned and chopped into pieces.
1 tbsp red chilli powder
4 onions
2 bay leaves
5-6 pepper corns
4-5 cloves
1 small stick of cinnamon
1 – 2 star anise
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
3 tbsp ginger garlic
1/2 cup split Bengal gram ( channa dal) – optional
1/2 cup flour for cleaning paya
salt
oil

METHOD:

1. Clean each and every trotter with the help of knife.

2. Rub flour and again clean the paya with the help of knife and then wash it thoroughly with water. Place paya in 2 -3 cups of boiling water with salt and turmeric powder for 2 -3 minutes, drain and keep aside.

3. Now in a vessel place paya, add 3 medium sized thickly chopped onions, salt, turmeric powder, bay leaves, cloves, pepper corns, star anise, cinnamon and ginger garlic paste with 5 cups of water,cover and cook until paya/ trotters are completely done. ( you can add more water if it has dried up but the payas still need to be cooked)

4. In a fry pan heat ghee, add 1 finely chopped onions, fry until they turn golden brown. Once the onions have turned golden brown, off the gas and add 1 tbsp red chilli powder and immediately add this to the paya curry, adjust salt.

5. (If the water has dried up till now then add 2 cups of water ), let the paya curry/ soup simmer for 15 Minutes on low flame.

6. Serve hot paya’s with tandoor roti / rice or in the form of soup with fresh crisp breads.

NOTE:

You can adjust the red chilli powder as per your taste.

If you want to add split Bengal gram ( chana dal ) then soak chana daal for an hour, drain and add to the paya when its partially cooked, and when the chana dal and paya both completely done then fry onions in ghee, fry till onions turn golden brown, off the gas and add red chilli powder, immediately pour this into paya curry / soup, adjust salt and simmer on low flame for 15 minutes.

Though the consistency depends upon how you prefer but I like soup kind to have it with bread. ( kadam pav)

You can make paya in pressure cooker as well, instead of placing them in vessel , place them in cooker and let it whistle on high flame for 1 -2 minutes then slow down the gas and cook until the pay is cooked.