Mutton Paya Soup

Name: Mutton Paya Soup
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 1 h 30 min
Total time: 1 h 50 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: indian
Ingredients: 800 g mutton paya (cleaned and cut into pieces); 2 pcs onion (medium, finely sliced); 2 pcs tomato (medium, chopped); 1 inch ginger (crushed); 8 pcs garlic (cloves, crushed); 2 pcs green chili (slit); 2 tbsp oil; 1 tsp cumin seeds; 6 pcs black peppercorns; 4 pcs cloves; 2 pcs green cardamom (lightly crushed); 1 inch cinnamon; 1 pcs bay leaf; 1 pinch turmeric powder; 1 pinch red chili powder; 1 tsp coriander powder; 1 pinch garam masala; 0.5 tsp salt; 1.2 l water; 2 tbsp coriander leaves (chopped); 1 tbsp lemon juice

RATING

4.5/5(118)

TASTE SCORE

8/10

A slow-cooked Indian soup made with mutton trotters, onion, ginger, garlic, and warm spices. The broth turns rich and silky as the paya cooks down, making it deeply comforting with naan or steamed rice.

PREP

20m

COOK

90m

SERVES

1 KATORI

455 cal

SERVINGS

METHOD · 8 STEPS

prep · ~10 min
Clean and ready the paya.
1.Rinse the mutton paya well under running water.
2.Scrape and trim any rough bits if needed.
3.Keep the paya drained and ready with the onion, tomato, ginger, garlic, and green chili.
saute · ~10 min
Cook the onion and spices.
1.Heat oil in a pressure cooker over medium heat.
2.Add cumin seeds, black peppercorns, cloves, green cardamom, cinnamon, and bay leaf.
3.Let the spices sizzle for 30 seconds until fragrant.
4.Add sliced onion and cook until lightly golden, 6 to 8 minutes.
5.Add ginger and garlic, then cook for 1 minute until the raw smell fades.
TIPKeep the heat medium so the whole spices flavor the oil without burning.
saute · ~6 min
Build the masala base.
1.Add chopped tomato and green chili.
2.Stir in turmeric powder, red chili powder, coriander powder, garam masala, and salt.
3.Cook until the tomato softens and the masala looks glossy, 5 to 6 minutes.
pressure cook · ~70 min
Pressure cook the paya.
Add the mutton paya and water, then mix well and bring to a boil. Lock the cooker and cook on medium-low heat for 60 to 70 minutes, or until the paya is very tender and the broth turns rich.
TIPPaya needs time to release its gelatin, so do not rush this stage.
rest · ~15 min
Let the pressure drop naturally.
simmer · ~15 min
Simmer the soup to finish.
Open the cooker and check the consistency. Simmer uncovered for 10 to 15 minutes if you want a slightly thicker broth, then stir in lemon juice.
garnish
Garnish with coriander leaves.
serve
Serve the paya soup hot.

PRO TIPS

What to keep in mind.

6 tips from the recipe — small details that make a real difference to the final dish.

1
If the trotters have any lingering odor, blanch them briefly before step 2, then drain and proceed.
2
Cook the onions only to light golden; deeply browned onions can make the broth taste heavy and slightly bitter.
3
After pressure cooking, the paya should feel very soft around the joints and the broth should look naturally glossy.
4
For a cleaner soup, skim excess fat from the top after resting the cooker, then simmer to the texture you like.
5
Add the lemon juice only at the end so the broth keeps its bright finish and the paya stays tender.
6
This soup tastes even better the next day; chill it overnight and reheat gently so the spices meld fully.

RECIPE VARIATIONS