Paya

Origins

The paya originated from the amalgamation of South and Central Asian cuisine. In Central Asia, it was known as pacha. The dish was adapted to the local cuisines by the Muslim cooks of Lahore, Hyderabad of Telangana State and Lucknow.

Subsequently, paya became popular all over present-day India, Pakistan and Bangladesh. Outside the Indian subcontinent, is also available in restaurants that serve South Asian cuisine. In Delhi it is sometimes also referred to as "khurode" from the "khur" or hoof.

Recipes

Recipes for this dish vary regionally. The soup base is created by sautéed onions and garlic, where a number of curry-based spices are then added to the meat and bones. The cooked dish is served with a garnish of fresh diced ginger and fresh long coriander leaves, along with fresh sliced lemon.

Cooking methods

It is cooked on mild heat for hours (usually overnight) on the stove. However, nowadays it is mostly cooked in a pressure cooker.

Historically, when people used wood or coal as a cooking fuel, Preparation would start this dish at night and slow cook it in the coals until the morning. This dish has a soup-like consistency and is usually eaten as a breakfast food in the winter months with naan.

Variations

There are many variations of this dish. A popular variation is siri paya (سری پایا, सिरी पाया), where siri means the head of an animal and paya means the feet. It is considered a delicacy.