Paya Recipe | Beef Paya Juicy & Tender
Today, I will share a famous Punjabi Beef Paya recipe that is so tender and juicy. The falling of meat from bones, cartilage, and soupy gravy makes this Paya recipe one of the most palatable culinary for breakfast and lunch.
As a Pakistani, I know the significance of the paya recipe. Few people consider it an occasional recipe and savor it on “Eid Ul Adha,” but few are die-hard fans of beef paya and habitually consume it in their breakfasts.
Especially in Punjab, the Paya is one of the most eatable cuisines for breakfast. This recipe reserves the top spot after Aloo chole and Murg chole. The tender and juiciness falling off from beef trotters’ bones that melt in a month give a next-level culinary experience.
Paya’s recipe requires fewer spices and ingredients, but this recipe demands your time. You need to be patient as Paya requires hours to boil and become tender, but in the end, you will get one of the most overpowering and nutritious delights that makes your breakfast so delicious.
Why Will You Love Beef Paya?
- Soupy Curry: One of the best things about beef Paya is its soupy and flavorful gravy. I like to throw chunks of bread (roti) in the gravy and then eat those nutritious chunks one by one.
- Flavorful: The tender and juiciness of gelatinous bones cartilaginous make this recipe a flavorful delight. Every true beef lover binge-ate a whole plate of hot pepper.
- Nutritious: Undoubtedly, the beef shanks and hooves are the most nutritious parts. They are rich in calcium and contain a high amount of collagen, which strengthens bones.
More About Beef Paya?
Beef Paya is a traditional cuisine that comes from the old Arabs, and now it’s a famous breakfast delight of every Pakistani. In the recipe, the beef shanks, trotters, and cartilaginous bone are blended with a few spices and cooked for a long time to get the juicy flavor.
Unlike the other beef recipes, the curry of paya is sticky because of the gelatinous substance and the high amount of calcium from beef cartilaginous bones, and it’s tastier than any other beef curry.
The beef paya pairs perfectly with naan, roti, or chapati. But I also like to serve this powerful recipe with white rice. Mostly, Payas cook on Eid occasions in Pakistan, the UK, and the USA, and I hardly make this recipe once after 3 or 4 months.
Ingredients Of Beef Paya?
- Beef Paya: Luckily, I have the entire trotter of beef from my butcher’s neighborhood, and for this recipe, I’m just using half of it. The cartilage and tendon are my favorite parts of beef leg, so I’m using both of these and some other parts.
- Tomatoes: I’m adding a few chopped tomatoes to make the gravy more flavorful. I sliced the tomatoes with a knife, and you should do the same. Avoid using a food processor or chopper for this recipe.
- Garlic and Ginger Paste: This garlic and ginger paste is responsible for the overpowering taste of shorba (gravy). You can make the paste in a food processor, but I used a mortar and pestle.
- Cilantro and green Chilies: I’m using both these ingredients for garnishing purposes. They improve the texture of the dish, and green chilies make the soup fiery and zesty.
- Cumin & Black Cardamom: I will add cumin and black cardamom to the recipe for a more warm and earthy flavor. These ingredients also make the paya soup more aromatic and savory.
- Spices: I’m using some basic ground spices to bring an entire flavor, including turmeric powder, red chili powder, paprika powder, dry coriander, dry Fenugreek powder, and salt.
Instruction:
- Boiling The Paya: The first step is to boil the trotters (paya) in a pressure cooker. I added 1.5 liters of water to the pressure and one tablespoon of salt and turmeric powder. Let the paya simmer for 1 and a half hours (90 minutes) in a pressure cooker. I know it takes time, but to get the juicer and tender cartilage meat, you have to give it time. I have also added two bay leaves to wade off the meaty smell.
- Heat The Oil: Now take a pan and heat the oil in it. After that, add the garlic ginger paste and stir it for one minute. The robust smell of this paste will further eliminate Paya’s meaty smell of trotters.
- Add Cumin Powder: Next, I’m adding cumin seeds powder and black cardamom, and dry fenugreek more make the masala more overpowering and aromatic. Keep the flame low during this process and stir it for half minute.
- Toss Tomatoes: Keep the flame low and add a splash of water. Hah! Don’t fear that spluttering sound; just close the lid immediately after adding water. Wait for a few seconds, and then add the tomatoes. Mix the tomatoes and let the moisture simmer for one minute on medium flame.
- Add Spices: Now, add all the spices one by one and stir them well so that the spices perfectly infuse their flavors in the gravy. Bloom the spices for one minute on low flame.
- Include The Paya: Add the boiled trotters (paya) to the pan and stir it well. At this stage, you need extra force in your arm to mix. After stirring, add the remaining broth of trotters to the curry and let it simmer for 10 minutes on low flame.
- Garnishing:
What To Serve With Beef Paya?
Generally, people love to eat paya with naans, chapati, or roti. I also serve white rice with this beef cuisine. Trotters or Paya is a more powerful main dish, soy it’s not a good idea to serve any sider, appetizer, or other main dish. Always savor this dish standalone with naans to get the best experience.
Paya Recipe
Ingredients
- Half beef trotters (paya)
- 3 Tomatoes
- 1 tbsp Ginger Paste
- 1 tbsp Garlic Paste
- 4 Green chilies
- Cilantro
- 1 tbsp Cumin powder
- 1 tbsp Dry coriander
- 1 tbsp Red chili powder
- 1 tbsp Paprika powder
- 1 tbsp Salt
- 2 tbsp Turmeric powder (1 for boiling and 1 for gravy)
- 1 tbsp Dry Fenugreek
Instructions
- Take a pressure cooker and boil the trotters (paya) in 1.5 liters of water, 1 tsp salt, and 1 tsp turmeric powder. Simmer for 90 minutes to achieve juicy and tender cartilage meat. Add two bay leaves to reduce the meaty smell.
- The next step is to heat oil in a pan, add garlic ginger paste, and stir for one minute to enhance the aroma and eliminate the meaty smell from the trotters.
- Add cumin powder and black cardamom to enhance the masala's aroma. Keep the flame low and stir for 30 seconds.
- Keep the flame low, add a splash of water, and close the lid to avoid spluttering. After a few seconds, add tomatoes, gently mix, and let moisture simmer for one minute on medium flame.
- Add spices one by one and stir well to infuse flavors in the gravy. Bloom spices for one minute on low flame.
- Add the boiled trotters to the pan and stir vigorously. Pour in the remaining trotter broth and simmer for 10 minutes on low flame.
- Paya Curry is ready! Garnish with cilantro and green chilies, and serve with hot naans or chapati. Enjoy!
