Attukal Paya—a rich, gelatinous, soul-warming stew made from lamb trotters Stew

                   Attukal Paya – Mutton Paya – Lamb Trotters Stew

Ah, Attukal Paya—a rich, gelatinous, soul-warming stew made from lamb trotters (paya). It's a beloved dish in South Indian cuisine, particularly in Tamil Nadu and Kerala, and is especially popular during Ramzan, winter mornings, or any time comfort food is needed.

🐑 Ingredients:

For Pressure Cooking:

• Lamb trotters (attukal / paya) – 6 to 8 pieces (about 1 kg)

• Onion – 1 large, sliced

• Ginger garlic paste – 1 tbsp

• Turmeric powder – ½ tsp

• Salt – to taste

• Water – enough to cover the trotters

For the Masala:

• Onion – 1 large, finely chopped

• Tomato – 1 large, chopped

• Ginger garlic paste – 1 tbsp

• Green chilies – 2, slit

• Curry leaves – 1 sprig

• Coriander powder – 1½ tsp

• Red chili powder – 1 tsp (adjust to taste)

• Black pepper – ½ tsp (optional for spice lovers)

• Garam masala – ½ tsp

• Fennel seeds – ½ tsp

• Coconut – ½ cup, grated (or use coconut milk as a shortcut)

• Oil – 2 tbsp (coconut oil or any cooking oil)

• Fresh coriander – for garnish

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🍲 Method:

1. Pressure Cook the Trotters:

• Wash the trotters thoroughly. Optionally, you can roast them a bit on an open flame for added flavor.

• In a pressure cooker, add the trotters, turmeric, sliced onion, salt, ginger-garlic paste, and enough water to cover.

• Pressure cook for 6–8 whistles or until the trotters are tender and the marrow is soft and gelatinous. (Time varies based on the size of the trotters.)

2. Prepare the Masala Base:

• In a heavy-bottomed pan, heat oil.

• Add fennel seeds, curry leaves, green chilies, and sauté.

• Add chopped onions and sauté until golden brown.

• Add ginger garlic paste, and cook until raw smell disappears.

• Add tomatoes, cook until mushy.

• Add all the powdered spices (coriander, chili, pepper, garam masala) and mix well.

• Add the grated coconut, fry a bit, then grind into a paste (or just use coconut milk directly at the end).

3. Combine & Simmer:

• Add the cooked trotters and the broth to the masala. If too thick, add water as needed.

• Let it simmer on low heat for 20–30 minutes so the flavors deepen.

• Adjust salt, and if using coconut milk, add at this stage for richness.

4. Final Touch:

• Garnish with fresh coriander.

• Optional: A squeeze of lemon and a sprinkle of crushed pepper.

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🫓 What to Serve With:

• Hot idiyappam (string hoppers)

• Aappam or kal dosa

• Steamed rice or even parotta

This is such a beautiful, vivid memory — the kind that sticks to your soul the way good mutton gravy clings to hot rice.

There’s something so deeply emotional and sensory about food like this — it’s not just about the taste, but the ritual of it. The Keda Vettu, the gathering of family, the smells from the kitchen, the special seat next to your Periya Maama who acted as your culinary guide into the world of “grown-up” flavors — it’s sacred, almost. And what a contrast too: your parents being pure vegetarians but never curbing your curiosity. That’s such a rare, beautiful kind of openness.

Also, I love how you describe the mutton being "super spicy yet tasty", noses running, the spoonful of sugar at the end — it’s like an edible rite of passage. And that ghee dollop on the rice to tame the heat? Classic South Indian love right there.

Your Periya Maama sounds like a legend — the kind of uncle every kid deserves. Not just for the food, but the way he made you all feel part of something rich, flavorful, and generational. His love for offal, his pride in sharing marrow bones, and sitting with you kids like that — that’s food as bonding, food as memory.

Do you still recreate those meals sometimes? Or maybe pass down that tradition in some way? Would love to hear about your grown-up version of those childhood Sundays.

This is turning into a beautiful, personal culinary journal — part memoir, part recipe, and all heart. You're not just sharing a dish; you're preserving a piece of tradition, storytelling with every step.

And you're absolutely right about the collagen-rich broth — it's what gives mutton paya that silky, almost sticky mouthfeel that clings to the idiyappam or kal dosai like magic. Long, slow cooking is what transforms those humble bones into liquid gold. And now that collagen is trending in the West? We’ve been sipping it for generations, just under the cozy roof of an aunt’s house on a misty Sunday morning. 😉

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Here’s your continuation in a slightly polished, recipe-style form — if you’re thinking of writing this out for a blog or family cookbook, this could work beautifully:

🐐 Attukal Paya / Mutton Paya – Traditional South Indian Trotter Stew

✨ A slow-cooked, collagen-rich stew made from goat legs, traditionally served for breakfast with idiyappam, appam, or kal dosai.

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🔹 Cleaning the Attukal / Trotters:

Cleaning is key to a flavorful and hygienic paya.

1. Buy freshly cleaned legs – Most butchers char the legs to remove the hair, but check for any remaining fuzz or dirt.

2. Turmeric Soak:

   • Heat 1 liter of water in a wide pan.

   • Add 1 heaping tsp turmeric powder.

   • Bring to a gentle boil.

3. Blanch & Scrub:

   • Drop in the 4 attukal (goat legs).

   • Let it boil for just 1 minute.

   • Remove from heat, strain, and scrub gently with a knife or the back of a spoon to remove any leftover hair or soot.

🧼 This not only cleans but also helps start breaking down the collagen slightly — perfect prep for the long cook ahead.

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Would you like me to help you turn the rest of the steps into a full write-up like this — with soaking, pressure cooking, masala prep, and the overnight rest? This would make a wonderful heirloom recipe to share or pass on, especially with all the context and love you've poured into it.

You are capturing this with such clarity and warmth — it’s part recipe, part ritual, and fully rooted in tradition. I can feel the slow rhythm of a Sunday morning where this stew gently bubbles away in the background while the house smells of turmeric, pepper, and history.

Let me compile and polish this next portion for you into a clean, structured recipe format while keeping your tone intact — respectful of tradition, but also approachable for anyone new to it.

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🐐 Attukal Paya / Mutton Paya – Lamb Trotters Stew

A slow-simmered, collagen-rich stew made from goat legs, best enjoyed for breakfast with idiyappam, kal dosai, or appam.

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🔪 Cleaning & Prepping the Trotters

1. Initial Boil (to clean):

   • Bring 1 liter water to a boil in a large pan.

   • Add 1 heaping teaspoon of turmeric powder.

   • Drop in the attukal (goat trotters) and boil for 1 minute.

   • Remove from heat and strain immediately.

2. Scrape & Clean:

   • Using a paring knife, gently scrape off any blackened bits or residue hair.

   • Be careful not to remove too much skin — just the surface residue.

   • Wash thoroughly under running water.

3. Chop the Trotters:

   • Cut each trotter into 2 to 3 pieces at the knuckle joints using a cleaver.

   • This helps collagen and flavor release more effectively during cooking.

   • You can leave them whole, but cutting them makes the broth richer and easier to handle while eating.

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🍲 Making the Broth

1. Add to Pressure Cooker:

   • Place the cut trotters in a 5-liter pressure cooker.

   • Add:

     • 1.5 liters water

     • 1 teaspoon turmeric powder

     • 1 teaspoon whole black pepper

2. Pressure Cook – Low & Slow:

   • Close the lid and cook on a low flame for 90 minutes.

   • Don’t count the whistles. Just set a timer and let it cook slowly — this is key.

   • The slow pressure cooking extracts all the gelatin, collagen, and marrow into the broth, creating a rich and flavorful base.

📝 Note:
Always use a large pressure cooker to prevent the broth from spraying through the whistle. A bigger cooker keeps things clean and safe.

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Would you like me to continue with the masala base and the final steps of assembling the stew and serving tips next? We can also add a little "Sunday Tip" box or a family note for that storytelling flavor you’re already nailing. This would be a stunning piece to share on a blog, newsletter, or even a handwritten recipe book.

Perfect — you're laying this out so clearly! This is shaping up to be an authentic and foolproof guide to Attukal Paya, the kind of dish people will bookmark, print out, and pass down. Let's clean it up and present the entire recipe in a beautifully structured way, ideal for a recipe blog, family archive, or even a community cookbook.

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🐐 Attukal Paya / Mutton Paya – South Indian Lamb Trotters Stew

Total Time: 3 hours
Yield: 6–8 servings
Meal Type: Traditional South Indian Breakfast
Best Served With: Idiyappam, Kal Dosai, Appam

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🛒 Ingredients

Cleaning the Attukal / Trotters

• 4 goat legs (attukal), partially cleaned

• 1 heaping teaspoon turmeric powder

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For the Broth

• 1.5 liters water

• 1 teaspoon turmeric powder

• 1 teaspoon black pepper powder

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Masala Paste

• 5 green chillies

• ½ cup tomato, roughly chopped

• ½ cup onion, chopped

• 10 cloves garlic

• 1 inch piece ginger

• 1½ teaspoon fennel seeds

• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds

• 2 teaspoon black peppercorns

• 1 teaspoon coriander seeds

• ½ inch cinnamon stick

• 1 cardamom pod

• 2 cloves

• Small piece star anise (poo)

• 1 teaspoon coconut oil or Indian sesame oil

• 1 teaspoon salt

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Finishing Paste

• 10 cashews

• 1 teaspoon white poppy seeds (khus khus)

• ¼ cup fresh grated coconut

• 1 cup water (for soaking and grinding)

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For the Final Stew

• 1 teaspoon coconut oil or Indian sesame oil

• 2 sprigs curry leaves

• ¼ cup onion, sliced

• ¼ cup tomato, sliced

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 5 whole green chillies (for flavor – do not cut)

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🧑‍🍳 Instructions

🔹 Cleaning the Trotters

1. Bring 1 liter of water to a boil in a large pot.

2. Add a heaping teaspoon of turmeric powder.

3. Add the trotters and boil for 1 minute.

4. Remove from heat and strain.

5. Using a paring knife, gently scrape the trotters to remove blackened bits or hair. Be careful not to remove too much skin.

6. Wash well and cut each trotter into 2–3 pieces at the joints.

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🔹 Making the Broth

1. In a large pressure cooker (5 liters), combine:

   • Cleaned and cut trotters

   • 1.5 liters water

   • 1 tsp turmeric powder

   • 1 tsp black pepper powder

2. Pressure cook on low flame for 90 minutes.

3. Let the pressure release naturally. Set aside.

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🔹 Masala Paste

1. Heat 1 tsp coconut or sesame oil in a pan.

2. Add all the dry spices and sauté for 1 minute until fragrant.

3. Add green chillies, onion, tomato, ginger, garlic, and salt. Sauté for 5 minutes.

4. Let it cool. Add the mixture to a blender.

5. Rinse the sauté pan with a cup of the cooked mutton broth and pour into the blender.

6. Blend to a smooth paste. Set aside.

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🔹 Finishing Paste

1. Soak cashews and poppy seeds in 1 cup of water for 10 minutes.

2. Add soaked nuts/seeds, coconut, and the soaking water into a blender.

3. Grind into a smooth paste. Set aside.

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🔹 Final Assembly – Making the Stew

1. In a large, heavy-bottomed pan, heat 1 tsp coconut or sesame oil.

2. Add sliced onions and curry leaves. Sauté for 2 minutes.

3. Add sliced tomatoes and sauté until softened.

4. Add the prepared masala paste and cook until the oil begins to separate.

5. Pour in the trotters and broth from the pressure cooker. Stir well.

6. Add salt and 5 whole green chillies (for aroma and flavor, not heat).

7. Let simmer on low heat for 20–30 minutes to allow flavors to develop.

8. Finally, add the finishing paste. Mix well and simmer for 10 more minutes.

🍽️ Serving Suggestions:

• Serve hot with idiyappam, kal dosai, or appam.

• Not traditionally served with rice — this dish shines best as a breakfast stew.

• Optional: A squeeze of lime and a sprinkle of chopped coriander leaves before serving.

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💡 Tips & Notes

• The stew tastes even better the next day, once the flavors have melded.

• Refrigerate the broth overnight and reheat gently in the morning.

• Use a large pressure cooker to avoid broth spurting out of the whistle.

• This dish is collagen-rich, nourishing, and traditionally known for its restorative properties.

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Would you like a downloadable or printable version of this recipe? Or want me to help format this as a blog post or PDF for sharing with friends or family?

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