Paaya

• Lamb legs - 4
• Oil - 2 tblsp
• Cinnamon - 3 cm long strip
• Onion - 1 large
• Tomato - 3 big
• Brinjal (Egg plant) small - 6-7 or 1/2 Aubergine
• Green Chilli - 3
• Ginger-Garlic paste - 2 tsp
• Ground rice - 1 tblsp (optional - to thicken)
• Tinned coconut milk - 4 tblsp or 200ml fresh coconut milk
• Chopped coriander Leaves - 1 tsp
• Water - as required
• Salt - to taste

Spice powders:

• Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
• Chilli powder - 1 tsp
• Cumin (Jeera) powder - 1 tsp (optional)

1. Chop all the onion, tomatoes and herbs. Slit the chilli.
2. Cut the Brinjal/Egg plant into 2" pieces.
3. Heat a pressure cooker pan on a stove and add oil.
4. When the oil is hot enough, add cinnamon and fry for about 1/2 a minute.
5. Add chopped onion to the oil and stir for about 3-4 minutes on a medium heat until they become light brown.
6. Add green chilli and ginger-garlic paste and fry for about a minute.
7. Add all the spice powders, brinjal/egg plant and lamb leg pieces and fry further for about 3-4 minutes.
8. Add chopped tomatoes and fry for about a minute.
9. ** Add about 500ml of water to the pan.
10. ** Cover and leave the heat on medium.
11. ** After the first whistle, reduce the heat to low and pressure cook for about 1 hour and 30 minutes.
12. ** Switch off the stove and open the lid once the pressure is gone.
13. Add coconut milk and the required salt; Add ground rice now if it is preferred. Add more water if needed. If you are adding home made coconut milk, you don't need to add any water now.
14. Let the stew boil on medium heat for about 3-4 minutes.
15. Garnish with coriander leaves.

1. Add about 1.5 litres of water to the pan of lamb, onion, tomatoes and spices.
2. Cover and cook on a medium heat for about 3-3.5 hours. Open the lid and stir few times and check whether there is enough water left.
3. If there is not enough water left, add more water and let it cook.
4. Switch off the pan after checking whether the lamb legs are cooked well.

Leave a Reply