Indian Spiced Shepherd's Pie with Mashed Red Lentils

Indian spiced shepherd's pie with lamb and mashed red lentils in place of the more familiar potato topping - Diversivore.com

Indian Spiced Shepherd's Pie with Mashed Red Lentils

Classic Indian ingredients - lentils, spices & lamb - meet home-cooked comfort food in this delicious shepherd's pie.

Course Main Dishes

Cuisine Canadian, European, Indian, North American

Keyword indian shepherds pie, lamb, low carb, red lentils

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 45

Resting Time 10

Total Time 1 15

Servings people

Calories 478kcal

Ingredients

Lentil Mash

1.5 cups red lentils
1/2 small onion minced
1 tbsp garlic minced
2 tsp ginger minced
2 cups chicken stock
1.25 cups water
1/2 cup yogurt (preferably a thick Greek yogurt)
2 tbsp butter or ghee

Meat and Vegetables

1.5 lbs lean ground or minced lamb
1.5 cups peas frozen or fresh
2 large carrots diced (medium cubes), about 1.5 cups total
1 medium onion thinly sliced
1/2 small onion minced
1 tbsp garlic minced
2 tsp ginger minced
2 tsp coriander seeds
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp turmeric
2 cloves
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
2/3 cup tomato paste (1 small can)
1 tbsp butter or ghee

Instructions

Lentil Mash

In a large, heavy-bottomed pot, melt half of the butter/ghee over medium-high heat. Add the garlic, ginger, and onions, and sauté until fragrant and starting to colour slightly; about 3-4 minutes.
Add the lentils, stock, and water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a very low simmer and cook the lentils, uncovered, until soft. If the liquid has all been absorbed and the lentils are still a little firm, add a splash of water, but take care not to add too much or the mash will be soggy. The finished lentils should basically fall apart, and shouldn't need any mashing.
Stir the remaining butter/ghee and the yogurt. Season the finished lentils with salt and pepper, cover, and set aside.

Meat and Veggies

Heat a large, heavy (preferably cast iron) skillet or pot over medium-high heat. Add the spices to the pan and dry roast them until they're fragrant; about 1 minute. Transfer the roasted spices to a spice grinder or mortar and pestle and crush to a powder.
In the same pan, melt the butter/ghee over medium high heat. Add the ginger, garlic, and minced onions and sauté until fragrant and starting to colour slightly; about 3-4 minutes.
Add the spices back to the pan along with the thinly sliced onions and stir to combine. Sauté over medium heat for an additional 4-5 minutes, stirring frequently. If the onions begin to burn at all, reduce the heat and/or add a bit more butter.
In a separate large pot, brown the lamb and drain the excess fat. Add the peas, carrots, onion/spice mix, and tomato paste and stir to combine. Cook over medium heat until the mixture is thick and darkened slightly, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Combine and Bake

Preheat the oven to 350 F.
Spread the meat/veggie mixture evenly in a large 11x7 inch baking dish. Carefully pour the mashed lentils over the meat and veggies and spread it evenly to the edges.
Bake, uncovered, for 25 minutes, or until the lentils are a nice golden brown colour.
Allow the finished shepherd's pie to cool for 10 minutes, then serve with a little extra Greek yogurt, or perhaps a little chopped cilantro.

Notes

If you add too much liquid to your lentils, you can try either straining the mixture briefly, or adding about 1 tsp of cornstarch to help thicken things up a little bit.

Nutrition