Irish-Indian Shepherds Pie
An Indian inspired twist on shepherds pie.
A classic shepherd's pie has two components; a lamb meat base and a mashed potato top. Two dishes from Indian cuisine inspired this version; aloo masala and keema.
Ethan Chlebowski
Ingredients
Aromatics
- onions1/2
- carrots2
- garlic2 cloves
- fresh ginger1 inch piece
- green thai chile1
- saltto taste
Spices
- mustard seeds, crusheda spoonful
- cumin seeds, crusheda spoonful
- whole cloves2
- bay leaves1
- chili powdera spoonful
- turmeric powdera spoonful
- garam masalaa sprinkle
Sauce base
- ground lamb454 g
- worcestershire sauce30 g2 spoonfuls
- mushroom better than bouillon15 ga spoonful
- tomato pastea squirt
- frozen peas200 g
- salta sprinkle
- crushed tomatoes250 g
Aloo masala topping
- yukon gold potatoes1200 g8-10
- cumin seedsa sprinkle
- black mustard seedsa sprinkle
- green thai chile, minced1
- garlic1 clove
- fresh ginger1-inch piece
- turmeric powdera sprinkle
- butter30 g
- milk50 g
- gruyere, shredded50 g
- saltto taste
- neutral oila spoonful
Method
Step 1: Prep all vegetables
Grate half an onion, 2 carrots, 4 cloves of garlic, and ginger. Slice 2 green chiles.
Separate half of the garlic, ginger and chiles into two small bowls.
Grate the gruyere and set aside for the potato topping.
Lastly, peel and cube the potatoes. Wash the potatoes off and set them aside.
Step 2: Sear the meat & vegetables
Set a cast iron over medium-high heat.
Add the ground lamb and salt to the skillet, it until it is well and broken up into small bits.
Turn the heat down to low and add half of the garlic & ginger mixture, along with the shredded carrots and onions. Cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
Step 3: Flavor & build the sauce
Add all of the spices to the meat mixture. Stir the spices in until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
Add the tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, bouillon, and tomato paste. Stir everything together and let for 5-10 minutes until the sauce has and thickened.
- Add more Worcestershire sauce or tomatoes to adjust consistency and taste if you wish.
Once the base is cohesive, stir in the frozen peas and stir to combine. Turn off the heat. Give it a taste - it should have depth and complexity from the meat and spices. Adjust the sauce and spices if needed.
Step 4: Boil the potatoes
Add the potatoes to a large pot of water along with a large sprinkle of salt.
Bring the water to a and let cook until a fork easily pierces through the potatoes, about 10 minutes.
Strain the potatoes.
Step 5: Toast aromatics & rice the potatoes
Add a drizzle of oil to the pot on the stove over medium heat. Add the black mustard seed and cumin seed, until the black mustard seeds start to pop.
Toss in the remaining green chile, garlic, and ginger, along with turmeric. for about a minute or so. Add it to a small bowl and set it aside.
Rice or mash all of the cooked potatoes in a bowl and then stir in the aromatic spice oil mixture. Mix until cohesive.
Add the butter and milk to adjust the texture. Lastly, add half of the shredded cheese.
Step 6: Assemble & bake the pie
Preheat the oven to 425°F/218°C.
Add the mashed potato topping to the top of the meat mixture in the cast iron pan.
- Smooth out the top of the potatoes with a spatula.
Rough up the top of the pie by dragging a fork over the top of it. This will create nooks and crannies that will brown up as it bakes.
Sprinkle the rest of the gruyere on top and slide it into the oven. for around 20 minutes, or until the top has a light browning.
Let it cool for around 20 minutes for easier serving. Garnish with pickled onions. Enjoy!
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