Slow-cooked spiced lamb trotter soup (Paya)

1. Clean the trotter pieces thoroughly (singe off any remaining hair over a flame), then scald with boiling water and rinse.

2. Heat the ghee in a large pan, add the black cardamom, then the thinly sliced onions, and fry for 10 minutes until golden brown. Add the grated ginger and crushed garlic and fry for 1 minute.

3. Add the trotters, sprinkle with the turmeric, chilli powder and ground coriander, and fry for 5 minutes. Stir in the yoghurt and cook until the ghee separates from the sauce.

4. Pour in the water, add salt and cook covered over the lowest heat for 5-6 hours (about 1½ hours in a pressure cooker) until the meat and tendons come away from the bone and the soup is rich and gelatinous.

5. Finally stir in the garam masala and adjust the salt.

6. Serve with fresh coriander, ginger strips and lime wedges, with naan or kulcha.

Tip: Paya is a winter breakfast in Lahore, Delhi and Hyderabad, often cooked overnight. The collagen in the trotters gives the soup its thick, lip-sticking texture. You can ask the butcher to cut and clean them for you.