Siri Paya

Siri Paya refers to a soup made from slowly cooked head and feet of a cow, lamb or a goat with tomatoes, onions and curry spices. It is one of the breakfast foods from Pakistan, India and Sri Lanka and also Iran and Afghanistan.

Siri Paya also called Paya is a traditional breakfast dish of Northern India, Southern India particularly Hyderabad, Sri Lanka and Pakistan.The main ingredients of the dish are the two (2) ends of a cow, goat or lamb, which means the head and the feet. Siri means the head of the animal and paya means the feet of the animal. It is considered a delicacy in those countries. In the past, when wood or coal were stil used as a cooking fuel, the women/housewives would start this dish at night and slowly cook the "head and the feet" until the following morning. This dish has a soup-like consistency (cross bewteen a stew and a soup) and is usually eaten as a breakfast food in the winter months along with a Naan (flat bread). Except for the 2 basic ingredients, cooking this dish varies from slightly from region to region. The soup base is made by sauteed onions, tomatoes, and garlic to which a number of curry based spices are added. The cooked dish is served with a garnish of fresh diced ginger, fresh cilantro leaves and fresh sliced lemon.

Personal Note: Oh wow, just writing about this dish made me salivate. I have will have no probem eating this, in my country, the Philippines we also make use of the head and feet of the animals into various dishes. With curry spices and frenh ginger, cilantro and lemon that go with this dish, I am sure, it taste good. I have a friend from Southern India, I hope that the next time I visit them, they can bring me to Hyderabad and try this food and I am sure I will be head over heels in love with Siri Paya.