Spiced Shepherd's Pie Recipe

Ingredients

1kg potatoes
1 onion
2 garlic cloves
A thumb of ginger
A thumb of turmeric
1 chilli
400g lamb mince
1 tsp garam masala
1 tbsp curry powder
400g tin of chopped tomatoes
100g mature Cheddar cheese
A handful of coriander

Prep: 20 mins | Cook 1 hr

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Method

1. Fill and boil your kettle. Scrub the potatoes and chop them into large chunks so they're all roughly the same size (no need to peel, unless you prefer to). Place the spuds in a large a pan and pour over the hot water. Add a generous pinch of salt and bring to the boil. Turn the heat down and simmer for 10-15 mins till tender. Drain the potatoes and return them to the pan. Season with salt and pepper and mash till smooth. For extra creaminess, you can add a dash of milk or knob of butter from your kitchen.

2. While the potatoes simmer, trim, peel and chop the onion. Peel and grate the garlic, ginger and turmeric (see our tip below on stain-free prep). Halve the chilli, scoop out the pith and seeds for less heat, then finely chop.

3. Add 1 tbsp oil to a large, ovenproof casserole dish and place on a high heat. Once hot, add the lamb mince. Use a wooden spoon to break up any lumps. Season with salt and pepper and fry for 8 mins, stirring, tiil golden brown. Use a slotted spoon to scoop the lamb into a bowl and tip out any excess fat.

4. Add 1 tbsp oil to the dish and lower the heat to medium. Add the onion, garlic, ginger, turmeric and chilli. Fry for 7-8 mins, stirring regularly, till the veg are glossy. Add the garam masala and curry powder. Fry, stirirng, for 1 min.

5. Return the lamb mince to the dish and stir well to mix. Add the chopped tomatoes and stir to combine. Pop on a lid and simmer on low for 10 mins till the sauce is thick and unctious. Stir occasionally. Taste and add salt and pepper, if needed. Preheat your oven to 200°C/Fan 180°C/Gas 6.

6. Take the dish off the hob. Spoon the mashed potato on top to evenly coat the lamb filling. Use a fork to rough up the surface for added texture. Grate 100g of the Cheddar and sprinkle over the top of the pie.

7. Bake for 20-25 mins till the top is golden and crisp and the mince is bubbling. Serve straight away with your favourite seasonal veg.

8. Stain-free prep
Turmeric can stain everything yellow, so protect your clothes with an apron and wash everything it touches straight away, including your hands.

9. Love your leftovers
Leftover pie will keep in the fridge for up to 3 days or you can freeze portions for up to 3 months. You can reheat individual portions in the microwave till piping hot all the way through. Or reheat in the oven covering the top with foil to prevent it from burning.

10. Reduce food waste
We've left the skin on the potatoes for our mash – they're packed full of nutrients, it helps to reduce waste and they're delicious too. For a smoother mash, peel the potatoes and leep the skins to make vegetable crisps.