Aattukaal kulambu or paya is a traditional and nutritious dish from South India, especially very famous in Tamilnadu.  Most of the South Indian restaurants, serve this Paya with Idiyappam, Aappam, Idly, Dosa, Chapati, Roti, Parathas and also goes excellent with hot rice.

Aattukaal paya is a thick stew made with goat or lamb’s feet. .The rich and spicy ingredients gives the taste and flavour to the curry, thus making it more delicious.  Traditionally, the paya  is prepared in an earthenware left overnight on a firewood/coal. But the below recipe has been cooked in pressure cooker. People from my hometown makes it very often, as it is easily available and My mom usually makes it atleast once in a month. But since i don’t get it in Brunei, i usually asks my mom or mil, to prepare very often, whenever i go to India.

Paya is regularly recommended for people recovering from fractures, breathing problems and some other prolonged illness. Do try this recipe and post your feedback in comments section.

INGREDIENTS:

½ kg Lamb’s feet (Aattukaal ), cleaned

1 tablespoon Ginger Garlic paste

1 + 1 tablespoons Red chilly powder

1½ tablespoons Coriander powder

½ teaspoon Turmeric powder

½ cup Shallots, halved

1 Tomato, chopped

2 Green chillies, slit

1 sprig Curry leaves

1½ cup Thin coconut milk

¾ cup Thick coconut milk

1 inch Cinnamon stick, 2 Cardamom, 2 Cloves, 1 Bay leaf

Salt ,required

Coconut oil, required

TO TEMPER:

2 tablespoons coconut oil

1 sprig Curry leaves

1 shallot, thinly sliced

INSTRUCTIONS:

In a small bowl, take ginger garlic paste and a tablespoon of red chilly powder. Mix well and keep aside.

In another wide bowl, take thin coconut milk, coriander powder, red chilly powder and turmeric powder. Mix well and set aside.

Add coconut oil in cooker. When heated enough, add a sprig of curry leaves and sliced shallots. Allow it to fry till they turn brown. Take out along with oil in a small plate and keep aside.

Now add 3 tablespoons of coconut oil. When heated, add cinnamon, cardamom, bay leaf , cloves, curry leaves and fry for few seconds. Reduce the flame and add ginger garlic paste mixture. Fry for few seconds or until raw smell goes off.

Now add in shallots, tomato, chilly and cleaned lamb’s feet. Mix well and cook until tomato mashes well and incorporates well with the lamb’s feet.Add in prepared thin coconut milk mixture and salt.

Mix well and allow it to boil. When it comes to single boil, close the pressure cooker and keep in high flame for 3 to 5 whistles. Now reduce the flame and keep it in low for 10 min and turn off the heat. When the pressure gets released , open the cooker, give a good mix and keep it in medium flame again.

When it begins to boil, add thick coconut milk, cook for few minutes and turn off the heat. Add in tempered shallots and curry leaf mixture.

Mix well and serve hot with rice.