AATUKAL PAYA

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Aatukal paya or goat leg curry is a traditional and a most popular dish of South India. It is a delicacy and is usually made during any special occasions like family functions or festivals. It is had for breakfast, along with idlis, dosas, idiyappam or aapam.

Aatukal usually takes a much longer time to cook. Traditionally, it is cooked overnight. On the previous day evening, the goat leg along with few other spices will be added to a cooking pot, and will be kept on a low flame. It cooks the whole night, and the next day morning it will be made to a curry or kulambu. Goat leg can be used to make a variety of dishes like soups, kulambu and paya.

Aatukal or goat leg has so many health benefits. It is a great immunity booster and, is rich in calcium and protein. It is mainly given for bone strength. Even though, it has so many health benefits, it has high fat content, and that’s the reason it is not consumed regularly.

ABOUT THE RECIPE:

This is the recipe that, we make in our home. It is the simplified version of the original recipe. I’ve used pressure cooker to cook the goat leg. Using pressure cooker saves lot of time and energy. It won’t take a whole night to prepare. This recipe takes a maximum of just 3 hours, for the whole process. This recipe serves 4~5.

INGREDIENTS FOR AATUKAL PAYA:

FOR COOKING AATUKAL:

• AATUKAL (GOAT LEG) – 500 GMS
• GINGER GARLIC PASTE – 1 TBSP
• TURMERIC POWDER – 1 TSP
• SALT – 1 TSP

MAIN INGREDIENTS:

• COOKED AATUKAL
• ONIONS (MEDIUM/ THINLY SLICED) – 3 NOS
• TOMATOES (MEDIUM/ THINLY SLICED) – 1 NO
• GINGER GARLIC PASTE – 1 TBSP
• CHILLY POWDER – 1 TBSP
• GARAM MASALA – 1 TSP
• SALT – AS REQUIRED
• OIL – 3 TBSP
• MINT LEAVES – 1/2 CUP
• CORIANDER LEAVES – 1/2 CUP
• CURRY LEAVES – 10 NOS

FOR GRINDING:

• COCONUT (DICED OR GRATED)- 1/2 CUP
• CASHEWS (WHOLE) – 10 NOS
• POPPY SEEDS – 1 TSP
• GREEN CHILLIES (MEDIUM/ SLIT) – 2 NOS

HOW TO CLEAN AATUKAL (GOAT LEG):

Goat leg has hair in it. So It is burnt in fire, and the hair is removed with a blunt knife. The burning process helps to remove the hair easily from the leg. This process will be done in the shops, before selling the goat leg. So the goat leg that we buy from the stores, actually has the black coating on it, which is due to this process. This has to be removed and cleaned before cooking.

• Once you buy aatukal, add them to a large heat resistant bowl.

• Boil 4 cups of water, and pour it onto the goat leg.
• Let it rest for 30 minutes.

• After 30 minutes, with a blunt knife or the backside of the knife, gently scrape the black coating. It comes out easily. Discard the black coating.
• After removing, wash the goat legs with clean water.

AATUKAL IS READY TO COOK.

HOW TO MAKE AATUKAL PAYA:

• In a pressure cooker, add the aatukal along with 3 cups of water, 1 tbsp of ginger garlic paste, 1 tsp of turmeric powder and 1 tsp of salt.

• Mix everything, and pressure cook for 20 whistles.

• After 20 whistles, turn off the flame and start the next cooking process.
• Heat a large wok/kadai, and add 3 tbsp of oil.

• Once the oil is heated, add the sliced onions to the kadai.

• Add the salt to it, and mix it well. Cook it, until the onions turn translucent.

• Once the onions turn translucent, add the ginger garlic paste to it.

• Mix well. The oil will start to separate.

• At this stage, turn the flame to medium-low and, add 1 tbsp of chilly powder and 1 tsp of garam masala to it.

• Mix everything, and let it cook for 1 minute.
• Then add the sliced tomatoes to it, and let it cook for 2 minutes or until the tomatoes turn soft and mushy.

• Meanwhile, add the coconut, green chilly, cashew and poppy seeds to a blender, and blend them to a fine paste.

• First blend it without adding any water. Then add water and blend it to a fine paste. Adding the water later, helps to blend it, without any lumps.

• Open the pressure cooker that had cooked aatukal in it. The pressure from the cooker would have released completely in the meantime.

• Once the tomatoes have turned soft and mushy, add the cooked aatukal along with the water, to the kadai.

• Mix everything well, and let it cook for 10 minutes on medium flame.

• After 10 minutes, add the ground coconut mixture to it.

• Mix everything well, and cook for other 2 minutes.

• Then add the coriander leaves, and mint leaves.

• Also add the curry leaves, and mix everything.

• Cover the kadai with a lid, and let it cook on low flame for 30 minutes.

• After 30 minutes, turn off the flame. Garnish it with curry leaves or coriander leaves.

YUMMY AND DELICIOUS AATUKAL PAYA IS READY.

SERVE IT WITH YOUR FAVOURITE BREAKFAST.

I HAD IT WITH HOT IDIYAPPAM.

VARIATIONS:

• Adding mint leaves is optional. Since the aatukal is high in fat, we usually add the mint leaves to balance it.
• The spiciness can be adjusted according to your taste.
• Cashews can be replaced with fried bengal gram.
• Adding poppy seeds is not mandatory. It can be skipped if needed.

PRO TIP:

• Make sure to clean the goat leg thoroughly, before cooking. If not cleaned properly, its smell can ruin the whole dish.
• Cooking the meat for at least 20 whistles is mandatory. The meat has to fall out, when you shake it holding the bone. That’s the perfect consistency.
• Sometime, the meat might be really hard, which needs extra time to cook. In this case, pressure cook it again for 5 whistles.