Picture this- a steaming bowl of gelatinous stew with tender lamb or goat trotters in a flavorful broth, infused with aromatic spices and served with a sprinkle of fresh cilantro. That, my friends, is the magic of the popular South Asian delicacy-Paye

A plate of Paya Stew-mutton trotters in a rich broth

What is Paya or Paye?

Paye, which literally translates to trotters/feet is a popular dish in many South Asian countries particularly Pakistan and Bangladesh. It's essentially a soup/stew made by simmering goat or lamb trotters with aromatic spices like ginger, garlic, and turmeric until they become tender. This slow cooking process allows the flavors to meld and the collagen from the trotters to infuse the broth, resulting in a rich and flavorful broth.

Is Paye a curry or a soup

Paya or paye is considered a stew. It's known for it sticky gelatinous texture and rich marrow that develops with cooking it for a long period of time. The mild, soupy consistency is flavored with basic South Asian spices and aromatics. It's a delicacy for sure and to some extent an acquired taste. In my house, we LOVE paye during the colder months.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Authentic Taste: Minimal spices let the natural flavors of the lamb trotters really come through. This is not the dish to make overly spice though yes you can make it hot.
Health Benefits: The gelatin from trotters is known for its benefits to joints and overall health. It's honestly liquid gold.
Kid-Friendly: Mild flavors make it a perfect introduction to traditional dishes for
Versatile: Serve with naan, chapati, or rice for a hearty, comforting meal.

What Makes Paya Sticky?

The key characteristic of a good paya is its gelatinous texture and mouth feel. The stickiness in paya comes from the collagen present in the trotters. As the trotters simmer slowly, the collagen breaks down and transforms into gelatin, which gives the broth its characteristic sticky consistency. This gelatin adds richness and depth of flavor to the dish. A bit debatable, but I find that the stickier the paye, the more satisfying it is. Or maybe my mom said that!

Where to get Paye

The best place to get paye is from your local South Asian/Middle eastern butcher. Ask for mutton or lamb trotters with the skin. They will already have burnt and removed all the hair.

Health Benefits:

Paye is actually liquid gold because of all that good collagen in the bones. It enhances skin elasticity (seriously it's rich in collagen!) and contains immune-boosting properties. Plus it's like a warm hug during the winter season.

How to Make Mutton Paya

Step 1: Clean the Trotters

Fire method: Your butcher should already have removed all the hairs from the skin of the trotters. Make sure they have! If you see some hairs still attached, hold the trotters to an open flame for a few seconds to singe those off. Use a knife to gently scrape off the charred hairs.
Flour Scrubbing Method: Coat the trotters with a thin layer of flour (wheat or all-purpose). Let it sit for 5-10 minutes. The flour binds to the hairs, making them easier to scrub off the remaining hairs. Rinse thoroughly with water to remove both the flour and hairs.

Step 2: Pressure Cook the trotters

Add the trotters with whole spices and water in your Instant Pot and cook on high pressure till trotters are 80% tender.
Strain and reserve the stock aka yakhni and discard the whole spices.

Step 3: Cook the Paya

Sautee pureed onion and spices in a large pot until a masala base forms then add your trotters and mix well for 5-10 mins.
Add the stock yakhni a little at a time to loosen the paye before adding all of it.
Allow to simmer for about an hour on low heat until your paye is tender and the soupy curry is gelatinous. It shouldn't be too thick.

Step 4: Finish and Serve

Garnish with fresh cilantro.
Serve hot with naan, chapati, or rice.

Quick Tips to Make the Best Paye:

Select Quality Ingredients: Start with fresh, high-quality lamb or goat trotters WITH SKIN, ensuring they're properly cleaned and free from hair.
Layer Flavors: Take your time to sauté the onions and spices until fragrant and golden, allowing the flavors to develop and meld together.
Slow Cooking: Let the Paye simmer on low heat, allowing the trotters to become tender and the flavors to intensify.
Adjust Seasonings: Taste and adjust the seasoning according to your preference, adding more salt, chili powder, or garam masala as needed. This recipe uses minimal ingredients.
Garnish with Fresh Herbs: Finish off your Paye with a generous sprinkle of fresh cilantro or parsley, adding a burst of color and freshness to the dish.

Easy & Authentic Mutton Paya

Izzah Khan

Learn how to make the South Asian Paya recipe-a culinary delicacy prepared by simmering goat trotters/feet in a flavorful broth with aromatic spices.

5 from 1 vote

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 1 30

Course Main Course

Cuisine Pakistani

Servings 10 servings

Ingredients

How to Make the Stock/Yakhni

4 bay leaves
10 cloves
2 tablespoon whole black pepper
2 tablespoon whole coriander seed
1 2 inch cinnamon stick
¼ of an onion
8 garlic cloves
1 thumb-sized piece of fresh ginger
1 teaspoon salt
8-10 cups of water
5-6 lbs paye with skin, hair removed

How to make the Paya

½-3/4 cup oil
3 red onions pureed, without water
1 tablespoon ginger garlic paste
2 tablespoon coriander powder
1 tablespoon red chili powder
1 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili for color
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 tablespoon salt or to taste
½ teaspoon garam masala you can add this at the end but I prefer with all the spices

Instructions

In your Instant Pot or large cooking pot, add all the ingredients for the stock/yakhni.
Pressure cook in your Instant Pot for 25-30 minutes until the trotters are tender.
While the stock is being prepared, sauté the puréed onions until golden, then add spices and ginger garlic paste.
Next, strain the stock from the Instant Pot and discard whole spices.
Drop the trotters into the onion masala and stir well for 5-10 minutes on medium to low heat.
Add a cup or two of the strained stock to loosen up the masala before pouring all of the stock into the pan.
Let the Paya come to a boil, then cover and slow cook on low heat for an hour. The longer you go, the more luscious it will be but generally an hour is okay.
When serving, ladle the broth with a couple of trotters and garnish with fresh cilantro. Serve with hot naan.