Paya

Paya is a stew made from the trotters and bones of goat, sheep or cattle, simmered for hours with ginger, garlic and whole spices until the meat falls from the bone and the broth turns thick and gelatinous.

What it really is

Paya is built on trotters (feet) and shank bones, which are cleaned, singed and then simmered for several hours with onion, garlic, ginger, chilli, turmeric, coriander and garam masala. The long cooking extracts collagen from the bones, so the broth sets lightly when cold and gives the gravy its body. Many versions are finished with fried onion, green chilli, coriander leaves, lemon and ginger slices.

Paya is often sold as a breakfast dish in Pakistan, served with naan or roti, and it is closely associated with the same stalls that sell nihari. Nihari is a richer, longer-cooked stew of beef shank with a thicker, spiced gravy, and it is usually eaten as a meal rather than a breakfast. Paya is lighter in colour and more brothy, and its meat comes mainly from the feet, which give a soft, gelatinous texture.

How it's served

• Eaten hot in a bowl with naan, roti or paratha, usually at breakfast.
• Garnished with sliced ginger, green chilli, chopped coriander and lemon wedges.
• Diners pick the meat and gelatinous skin from the bones with their hands, and often suck the marrow.
• Often sold alongside nihari and halwa puri at breakfast stalls in Pakistan.

How to write it on the menu

• Name the main protein clearly, for example goat paya or lamb paya, since the dish is made from trotters and bones and not from boneless meat.
• State that the dish is cooked with ginger, garlic and spices, and list any dairy or ghee used for finishing.
• Note that the dish is served with bread; flag wheat for the bread accompaniment.
• Specify heat level, as the broth is often made with a good amount of green and red chilli.