Delicious Paya Recipe

Paya (also known as Paya soup) is a traditional South Asian dish made with slow-cooked beef or mutton trotters (the lower legs or feet of the animal). The dish is rich, flavorful, and often enjoyed with naan or rice. It’s known for its thick, gelatinous broth, which results from the slow simmering of the bones, releasing collagen and making the soup hearty and full of nutrients.

Here’s a simple recipe for Beef Paya:

​Ingredients:

• 4-6 Halal-N-Tayyib beef feet, goat, or lamb trotters (paya)
• 1 large onion, thinly sliced
• 2-3 tomatoes, chopped
• 2-3 green chilies, slit
• 1 tablespoon ginger-garlic paste
• 2 teaspoons ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1 teaspoon ground red chili powder (adjust to taste)
• 1 teaspoon garam masala
• 1-2 cinnamon sticks
• 3-4 cloves
• 4-5 cardamom pods
• 1 bay leaf
• Salt to taste
• Fresh cilantro (coriander leaves) for garnish
• Lemon wedges for serving
• 1 tablespoon ghee or oil

All ingredients are organic or at least GMOs free. 

Instructions:

1. Prepare the trotters:
   • Clean the beef or mutton trotters well. You may want to blanch them briefly in boiling water to remove any impurities. To do this, place the trotters in a pot of boiling water and let them cook for about 5-7 minutes, then drain and rinse under cold water. This step helps in getting a cleaner broth.
2. Sauté the spices and onions:
   • In a large pot or pressure cooker, heat 1 tablespoon of ghee or oil over medium heat.
   • Add the cinnamon sticks, cloves, cardamom pods, and bay leaf. Sauté for a minute until aromatic.
   • Add the sliced onions and sauté until they become golden brown (about 7-10 minutes). This caramelization adds depth of flavor.
3. Add ginger-garlic paste and tomatoes:
   • Stir in the ginger-garlic paste and sauté for another 1-2 minutes until the raw smell disappears.
   • Add the chopped tomatoes, green chilies, and cook until the tomatoes soften and start to break down (about 5 minutes).
4. Add the spices:
   • Add the ground coriander, cumin, turmeric, red chili powder, and salt to the pot. Stir the mixture and cook for another 2-3 minutes to allow the spices to bloom.
5. Cook the trotters:
   • Add the cleaned trotters to the pot and mix well, coating them with the spices and onion mixture.
   • If using a pressure cooker, add enough water to cover the trotters (about 4-5 cups) and cook for 40-50 minutes on medium heat. If you’re using a regular pot, you’ll need to simmer for about 2-3 hours, adding water as needed to keep the trotters submerged.
   Tip: To achieve the gelatinous, rich broth, the trotters need to cook slowly and release their collagen. Don’t rush the process!
6. Finish the dish:
   • Once the trotters are tender and the broth has thickened, add garam masala to the soup and stir.
   • Taste and adjust salt and spice levels if necessary.
7. Garnish and serve:
   • Garnish with fresh cilantro and serve with lemon wedges on the side for a touch of acidity.
   • Paya is traditionally served with naan or steamed rice.

Tips:

• If you prefer a thicker broth, you can cook the trotters a bit longer to reduce the liquid.
• Some variations of Paya include adding a few tablespoons of yogurt for extra creaminess or fried onions for garnish.
• If you don’t have a pressure cooker, slow-cooking is the key to getting the rich, flavorful broth. You can cook the dish in a slow cooker for 6-8 hours on low if you prefer.