Indian Vegetarian Shepherds Pie
Total Time
1 hour and 15 minutes
Prep Time
30 minutes
Cook Time
45 minutes
Rating
5 out of 5 stars
(146)
Ingredients
8 servings
- 2 1/2 lbs potatoes (Yukon gold, red, or any thin-skinned) ( OR use 5 cups leftover mashed potatoes, with curry powder)
- 4 tablespoons, ghee, butter, vegan butter ( ghee tastes the BEST)
- 1/2 cup plain yogurt (or sour cream)
- 1/2 cup milk(or nut milk), half and half or heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon salt, more to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1-2 teaspoons yellow curry powder, more to taste
- 2 1/2 cups cooked lentils ( 3/4 cup -1 cup dry)
- 2 tablespoons ghee, or olive oil
- 1 large onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, rough chopped
- 2 cups diced carrot, (2-3 carrots)
- 2 cups diced celery ( 2-3 ribs)
- 2 teaspoons garam masala, more to taste
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 teaspoons dried fenugreek leaves
- 1 cup veggie broth
- 1 cup frozen peas ( or corn, or green beans- or use fresh)
- 2 tablespoon ghee or olive oil
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
- 3 tablespoons flour (or gf flour)
- 1 1/4 cups warm veggie broth
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Preparation
Step 1
Preheat oven to 350F
Step 2
Cook Potatoes
Step 3
Cut potatoes in one-inch slices ( if small, just in half) and place in a large pot. Cover with one-inch salted water. Bring to a boil, lower heat, cover and simmer until very tender about 20-25 minutes.
Step 4
Cook lentils
Step 5
Set lentils to cook in salted water (unless cooked already – and you could absolutely do this ahead) about 20-25 minutes (see notes) simmer until tender, but not falling apart, al dente.
Step 6
Make the filling
Step 7
In a large 10-12 inch ovenproof skillet (or wide, shallow dutch oven) -heat the ghee over medium high heat and saute the onion 2-3 minutes, lower heat to med, add garlic, saute 2 mintues, add carrots, celery, cook 5-7 mintues. Add salt, cumin, coriander, fenugreek leaves and garam masala.
Step 8
Add broth. Bring to a simmer, cover and simmer on med low, until carrots are cooked through about 7-8 minutes.
Step 9
While this is simmering, MAKE THE GRAVY
Step 10
Over medium heat, in a little pot, simmer the whole seeds ( cumin seeds and fennel seeds) in ghee or oil until fragrant and golden. Add flour, whisking, stirring and toasting the flour one minute. Gradually whisk in the warm veggie broth. Cook until slightly thickened. Add this gravy to the filling, along with the peas and drained lentils. Mix to combine.
Step 11
Taste the filling and adjust salt and pepper. Add more garam masala if you like. The filling should have thick stew-like, saucy consistency. If too dry, add a splash of broth or water. If too watery, simmer off some of that liquid. If the filling is too watery, the mashed potatoes will sink.
Step 12
Mash the potatoes
Step 13
Drain the potatoes (saving some hot potato water) return to the same pot and mash with the 3-4 tablespoons ghee and yogurt. If potatoes seem dry or too stiff, add a little warm potato water to loosen. If you want extra richness a little milk, nut milk, half and half, or whipping cream is nice. I add about ½ cup. (Adding more yogurt will make these too tangy.) Season with salt, pepper and curry powder. Mash and whip until relatively smooth and light and fluffy. Taste and adjust salt.
Step 14
ASSEMBLE
Step 15
Place 8 big dollops over the lentils stew and fill in the spaces with smaller spoonfuls, carefully spreading out, maybe making a pattern with the back of the spoon, like frosting a cake.
Step 16
Place in the oven until golden and bubbling, about 20-25 minutes. Feel free to brown the top under a broiler.
Step 17
Garnish with scallions, chives or cilantro.
Step 18
Save recipe for the next time?
