Vegetarian Shepherd’s Pie

The inspiration here was to make a vegetarian version of the classic, with Indian flavors, for the quarantine cravings of home 🙂

What you need

For the Base Lentil layer

1. 2 cups Moth dal (or other whole lentils such as green lentils, French lentils etc.) cooked
2. 2 Celery stalks, diced
3. 1/2 cup of diced carrots
4. 2 small tomatoes, diced with juices
5. 1 tbsp minced fresh ginger
6. 6 cloves of garlic
7. 1/2 tsp turmeric
8. 2 tsp coriander powder
9. 1 tbsp of Parsi Sambhar Masala (or regular Sambar masala)
10. 1 dried lemon (or 2 tsp of dried mango powder)
11. 2 tbsp vegetable oil
12. 1 inch Indian cinnamon
13. 2 black cardamom
14. 2 cups of water
15. 1 tbsp coconut flour

For the Greens and Beets layer

1. 1 bunch of mustard greens, chopped
2. 1 yellow beet chopped
3. 1/2 an onion, diced
4. 1 tbsp coconut oil
5. 1 tsp onion seeds

For the Potato layer

1. 2 baking potatoes, steamed w salt
2. 1/2 cup coconut cream
3. 1-2 cups of hot water as needed
4. Salt and pepper
5. 1 leek, finely chopped
6. 1 Thai chile finely chopped
7. 1/2 tbsp coconut oil
8. 1 tsp of cumin
9. 1/2 tsp of turmeric

How it’s done

Lentils

Heat a Dutch oven and hear the vegetable oil. Add the cinnamon and lightly smashed black cardamom.

Once the spices are infused in the oil, add the diced celery and ginger and sauté for a couple of minutes.

Mince the garlic with a garlic press and add to cook for a few minutes till the raw smell is gone.

Now add the carrot and sauté for a couple of minutes to soften

Add the tomatoes and let cook down to a mush. Now add the spice powders and let them meld into the sauce.

Add the lentils, dried lemon (pierced) and water and mix and let come to a boil. Add salt to taste and let simmer 10-15 minutes.

Add the coconut flour and mix when you turn off the heat.

Greens and Beets

While the lentils are simmering, heat a pan or wok and add the coconut oil.

Once the oil is hot, add the onion seeds which will begin to crackle pretty quickly. Add diced onions and sauté a couple of minutes.

I typically use the stems of the greens as well and they take longer to cook so usually go in along with the onions. Sauté till the stems are partly cooked.

Now add the diced beets (I typically microwave them so they are par cooked) and mix and let cook for 4 minutes.

Add the chopped mustard greens and mix. Once wilted, add salt and pepper to taste.

Cover and let this cook – will take about 10 minutes for the greens and the beets to all be cooked

Potato

1. When you get started on the greens, set the potatoes (cut into cubes) in the microwave with a little bit of water and salt to cook for 5-6 minutes.
2. Take the cooked potatoes (check that they are fork tender) and start mashing them, adding hot water and coconut cream.
3. Mash and mix, tasting for salt, till it’s creamy and fluffy
4. Heat coconut oil in a pan and add cumin seeds and turmeric.
5. Once the cumin seeds crackle, add the leeks and the green Chile, add salt to taste and let cook till the leeks are done
6. Mix in with the potatoes

Layering and baking

• Preheat the oven to 375 at the conversation oven setting
• Oil a lasagna pan. You need a somewhat deep baking dish for this.
• Remove the cinnamon stick, black cardamom and dried lemon from the lentils. Add the lentils to the baking dish as the base layer
• Then later the green and beet
• Top with the potato mash, spreading evenly.
• Bake for 20 minutes or so until you see the tops browning and sides bubbling
• Let sit for 10-15 minutes before serving.

Enjoy!!

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