Paya known as Paaye is a Pakistani curry made with simmering goat/ cow’s foot and spices mostly overnight on low flame. It is one of the favorite dishes of Pakistanis in winters but people who love it eat it in any season. If you know Lahore or Lahoris, you will be familiar with “Phajje ke Paaye”, one of the famous vendors of Paaye curry in Lahore. People from other cities of Pakistan come to Lahore to eat his food.

Paaye was not my favorite dish until I tried cooking it myself and adding all the spices according to my taste. This is my authentic recipe of paaye, very rich in taste and flavor. I hope you guys will give it a try and enjoy it with your friends and family. Any comments, please leave below.

Ingredients

• Oil 1 cup
• 1.5 kilo Paya (cleaned and cut)
• 2 medium sized onions (sliced)
• 4 tbspns freshly crushed ginger and garlic (not paste)
• 1 cup plain whipped yogurt
• Water (as required, quantity given in the method below)
• 5 green chillies (small)

SPICES

• Salt to taste
• 2 tbspns red chilli flakes
• 2 tbspns red chill powder
• 1 tbspn black pepper
• 1 tbspn turmeric powder
• 2 tbspns coriander powder
• 2 tbspns garam masala
• 2 cloves
• 4 peppercorns
• 1 tspn ground kasuri methi
• 1 tbspn ground carom seeds

Procedure:

-In a big, deep cooking pot, put washed and cleaned paya, salt, ginger, garlic, 1 onion and 15 cups of water and cook covered on low heat for 12 hours (if using beef paya) or 8 hours (if using goat paya). If the water dries out, add some more.

-When the payas are cooked and tender, in a separate pan fry rest of the onion and add all the spices. Please make sure you don’t burn the spices. (TIP: Combine all the spices in a bowl before frying the onion. This will cut your time of finding the spices in your pantry at this moment). Add the whipped yogurt and mix well on high heat.

-The yogurt will begin to crumble, just then add it to your simmering paya curry. Cook on low heat for 45 more minutes until the oil comes up and the curry gets thicker.

-Add 5 green chillies and serve hot with naan or kulcha.

-Enjoy with family and friends.