A spicy, curried twist on the classic Shepherd’s Pie with delicious spices and an incredibly flavorful potato masala (or aloo masala) topping! A fantastic way to spice up (literally!) your favorite comfort food for your whole family.EASY - This recipe is very easy! The ingredient list is mostly spices that will make this dish taste better than the classic version. The cooking techniques are simple to follow. This is also a great meal to make ahead and freeze, and then re-heat in the oven for busy nights. US based cup, teaspoon, tablespoon measurements. Common Measurement Conversions. Weight measurements are recommended for accurate results. However, some variation is fine, since this is a cooked recipe. Some ingredient amounts should be adjusted to your taste (such as salt and cayenne pepper).
½tspcayenne pepperup to 2 tsp if you like it spicy
½tspground turmeric
10curry leaves
200gfinely diced carrotsabout 1.5 cups
Salt to taste
2cupschicken stock or water
2tbspwater
1.5tspcornstarch
Mashed masala potato
1.5lbsyukon gold potatoes OR russet potatoes
2tbspoil
1tbspblack mustard seeds
½medium onionfinely chopped
2long green chilifinely chopped
10curry leavesfinely chopped
½tspground turmeric
½tspground cumin
Salt to taste
4tbspbutter
1cupshredded cheese
¼cupcream or milk
1.5tbsplime juice
Instructions
For the meat layer
In a large pot, heat 1 - 2 tsp of oil at medium high heat.
Once heated, add the ground lamb and break it up a little. Allow the meat to caramelize without moving it in the pan for a few minutes. Then break up the meat again, and let it sit in the pan to caramelize on the other side. If the pan isn't too crowded. this shouldn’t take too long on medium high heat.
1.5 lbs ground lamb or beef
Remove the meat on to a plate, and set aside until needed.
Leave just 2 tsp of oil in the pot, and remove the rest of the oil.
Reduce the heat to medium heat, and add the onions, ginger, and garlic. Cook for a few minutes, until the onions soften and are translucent.
1.5 medium onions, 5 cloves garlic, 2 tsp grated ginger
Add the curry powder, garam masala, tomato paste, sugar, chili powder, turmeric, and curry leaves. Cook for a few minutes until the tomato paste cooks out.
2 tsp good curry powder, 1 tsp garam masala, 1.5 tbsp tomato paste, 2 tsp white sugar, ½ tsp cayenne pepper, ½ tsp ground turmeric, 10 curry leaves
Add the carrots, and cook until the carrots start to soften.
200 g finely diced carrots
Now add the ground lamb back into the pot, and stir to combine.
Pour in 1.5 cups of chicken stock or broth or water into the pot and stir to combine. If the stock was not seasoned, add a scant tsp of salt. Bring it to a boil, uncovered.
2 cups chicken stock or water, Salt to taste
Lower the heat, and let the lamb simmer, uncovered, for about 45 - 60 minutes. Make sure to stir it regularly and add more stock as needed if the mixture is getting too thick.
Taste and season with salt.
Salt to taste
During the last 5 - 10 minutes of cooking, dissolve the cornstarch in the water and add it to the lamb. Stir it through immediately and allow it to thicken the lamb mixture. Cook until the lamb is a thick, saucy mixture.
2 tbsp water, 1.5 tsp cornstarch
Transfer the lamb mixture into a 9 x 13 inch size (or similar-sized) baking dish.
For the potato layer
While the lamb is cooking, prepare the potatoes.
Wash and peel the potatoes and cut them into similar-sized pieces so that they cook more evenly (I cut them into 2 inch sized pieces).
1.5 lbs yukon gold potatoes OR russet potatoes
Fill a large pot with water and add salt to create a salty solution. Add the potatoes to the water and heat the pot over medium high heat. Cover the pot with a lid.
Bring the water to a boil, and then let it simmer with the lid half closed, until the potatoes are fork tender.
Drain the water and place the potatoes in a colander. Set aside.
Rinse the pot and place it back on the stove over medium heat.
Add the oil, and when the oil is hot, add the mustard seeds. When the mustard seeds start to pop, add the finely chopped onion and cook until the onion softens and caramelizes a little.
2 tbsp oil, 1 tbsp black mustard seeds, ½ medium onion
Add the turmeric, cumin, curry leaves, and green chili and saute for about 30 seconds.
2 long green chili, 10 curry leaves, ½ tsp ground turmeric, ½ tsp ground cumin
Add the cooked potatoes and mash it with a potato masher or a fork. A few lumps are OK.
Mix the mashed potatoes with the spices, and add salt to taste.
Salt to taste
Add the butter, cheese, and milk. Mix until the cheese and butter melt and mix into the potatoes. Add a squeeze of lime juice and mix it in.
4 tbsp butter, 1 cup shredded cheese, ¼ cup cream or milk, 1.5 tbsp lime juice
Add more milk IF you want a softer mashed potatoes. Taste and season with more salt.
Assembly and baking
Preheat the oven to 400°F / 205°C.
Dollop the mashed potato over the surface of the lamb filling in the baking dish.
Use a spoon or knife to spread the mashed potatoes over the lamb to completely cover the lamb layer. Make sure to reach all the edges, so that the filling at the bottom is well sealed.
Use a fork to create grooves on the surface of the mashed potato layer (these grooves create a lovely crusty surface and add texture).
Place the baking dish on a baking tray, and bake it in the preheated oven for about 30 - 40 minutes. The shepherd's pie is done when the potato layer is browning on top.
Remove the dish from the oven and let it sit for a few minutes before cutting into it.