Paaya Shorba (Lamb trotters curry)

Paaya Shorba (Lamb trotters curry)

My mother has always made Dosa with all its strappings of alu bhaji, chutney, and red chutney for a Sunday breakfast from as far as I can remember.  It is always dosas without fail.  Its very rare that she makes anything else on Sundays...Paya shorba is one of the dishes for which she breaks her tradition and that too only for 2 reasons, either we have to nag her for a week to make it or we have overnight guests.  If she has already prepared the dosa batter, then we serve this shorba with dosa; if not, with bread/naan.  This recipe is quite commonly made in most muslim households in Bangalore at least (at least in my family and friend circles that is).

Ingredients:
6 lamb trotters (paya)
2 medium onions, finely chopped
4 medium tomatoes, pureed
3 tbsp coconut paste
2 tsp ginger garlic paste
2 tsp red chilli powder
1 tsp coriander powder
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
Salt
a few mint leaves
a few sprigs of coriander leaves, chopped finely
2 tbsp oil

Method:

• Pressure cook the trotters with 1 chopped onion, half the mint leaves, half the coriander leaves, turmeric powder, 1 tsp salt, and about 1 liter of water for 3 whistles and then lower the flame to low-medium and cook for 40 minutes.
• Let the cooker cool.
• Then, heat oil in another vessel and fry 1 medium onion (finely chopped) and the remaining  mint leaves till the onions are golden brown in color.
• Add the ginger-garlic paste, coconut paste, coriander powder, chilli powder, and mix well.  Add a little water (about half a cup) and let it cook till all the water is absorbed.
• Add the tomato puree and mix well.  Cook on a medium flame till oil floats on top.
• Open the cooker and add the gravy to the trotters.  Add the remaining coriander leaves and mix well and cover with a lid.  Adjust salt as per your taste.  The shorba shouldn't be too watery or too thick, so add water to make the adjustments and cook on a low flame for 10 minutes.   
• Serve hot with either dosas, naan, appams, or bread.

PS:  Ask the butcher to cut each trotter into 3 pieces but they should still be attached to each other and they should be roasted, not skinned.