Mutton Paya - Slow-Cooked Trotters in Spiced Gravy

Mutton Paya (goat trotters ) is a rich and flavorful dish, popular in South Asian cuisine. It is slow-cooked to extract deep flavors and nutrients from the trotters, resulting in a thick, gelatinous, and aromatic curry. 

Ingredients:

For Cleaning the Paya:

• 4-6 mutton trotters (paya)
• 2 tablespoon wheat flour (optional)
• 1 tablespoon vinegar or lemon juice
• water (for washing )

For cooking the Paya:

• 2 tablespoon ghee or oil
• 2 onions (finely chopped )
• 2 tomatoes (chopped or pureed )
• 1 tablespoon ginger-garlic paste
• 1 tablespoon turmeric powder
• 1 tablespoon red chili powder
• 1 tablespoon coriander powder
• 1 tablespoon cumin powder
• half  tablespoon garam masala
• 1 tablespoon salt (adjust to taste )
• 1 tablespoon black pepper powder
• 1 bay leaf
• 2-3 cloves
• 2-3 green cardamoms
• 1 black cardamom
• 1 small cinnamon stick
• 6-8 cups water (for cooking )

For Garnishing:

• 2 tablespoon fresh coriander leaves (chopped)
• 2 green chilies (sliced)
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon ginger (julienned)

Instructions

Step 1: Cleaning the Paya

Wash the trotters thoroughly under running water. Scrub with wheat flour and vinegar (or lemon juice ) to remove any impurities. Rinse well several times until clean. Set aside.

Step 2: Pressure Cooking or Slow Cooking

• Pressure Cooker Method:

Heat oil or ghee in a pressure cooker, add onions, and sauté until golden brown. Add ginger-garlic paste and sauté until the raw smell disappears. Add tomatoes, turmeric, red chili, coriander, cumin, salt, and black pepper. Cook until oil separates. Add the cleaned paya and mix well with the masala. Add whole spices (bay leaf, cloves, cardamoms, cinnamon ). Pour water and close the lid. Cook on high flame until the first whistle, then reduce the flame and cook for 40-50 minutes until the trotters are tender.

• Slow Cooking Method (Traditional way) ):

Follow steps 1-5 in a deep pot. Add water and cover. Simmer on low heat for 6-8 hours, stirring occasionally, until the paya is soft and the soup is thick.

Step 3: Final Touch

Once cooked, check the consistency. Add more water if needed and simmer for 10 minutes. Sprinkle garam masala and mix well. Garnish with coriander, green chilies, ginger slices, and lemon juice. Serve hot with naan, roti, or steamed rice.