Paya (Traditional Fare)

I was told that in the days of our grand or great grandparents, during the rainy season, trotters & other mutton bones were cooked to make different kinds of soups & gravies. Mutton was preferred because of the medicinal value of goats & sheep.

That was probably the reason for their good health!

Here’s a simple recipe for mutton paya.

INGREDIENTS:

Trotters: 4 cleaned & cut into pieces

Shallots/onions: 100 g

Ginger-garlic paste: 1 tbsp

Green chilli: 2 chopped

Tomato: 1 chopped

Turmeric powder: ¼ tsp

Red chilli powder: 1 tsp

Fennel seeds: 1 tsp
Whole black pepper: 1 tsp

Cumin powder: ½ tsp

Coriander leaves: 2 tbsps

Coconut milk: ½ cup thin extract (optional)

Oil: 1 tbsp

Salt to taste

METHOD:

Use a pressure cooker to prepare this because it takes about an hour to prepare.

Into a cooker, add oil & fennel & pepper, then, add shallots, ginger, garlic, green chillies.

Sauté well & add the powders.

Now, put in tomato & coriander leaves.

Pour 3 cups of water (600 ml).

Bring to boil & add the trotters.

Cover & pressure cook for 45 minutes on low flame, after the first whistle.

When done, add salt & coconut milk.

This is a thin gravy preparation that can be served as a soup too.