Vegetarian Shepherd's Pie

Vegetarian Shepherd's Pie

Food Blogging Marathon from 2/9/2013 to 30/9/2013. 

Each day a new alphabet. 4 categories. 

Regional Food, 

Baked Dishes, 

International Flavors / Fusion flavors, 

Street Food / Condiments / Misc / Recipe less Posts on Food

This again is recipe I had seen years ago, in one of those Women's Home (UK),  Good Housekeeping (USA) magazines kept in our club house for the ladies to read. We kids would pour over the pictures and drool without knowing anything about its content. We were least interested in reading recipes or even finding out what they were. Cakes, desserts and such were oohed and aahed about. Non Vegetarian was accepted but personally I never ate. Years went by and I read a recipe for Vegetarian Shepherd's Pie. Looked interesting and easy. So tried my hand and everyone loved it. Over the years I made changes to the filling, tried various combinations. Most were successful. Some just ok. None was too bad or not edible. The topping was always mashed potatoes. Sometimes plain other times with herbs or cheese or even chillies and garlic.
So this here is my version of Shepherd's Pie. Original recipe is from the book Great Vegetarian Dishes by Kurma Dasa. Kurma Dasa belongs to the ISKCON family and does not use onion or garlic. My apologies to him, I have used garlic in my filling and the mashed potatoes too.

Ingredients:


1 cup cooked chickpeas/chole*
1/4 cup mini soya chunks*
1/4 cup grated carrot ( I used this only for the colour)
1/4 cup small pieces of paneer
2 cubes cheese, grated
1 tsp crushed black pepper
1 tsp chopped garlic
Juice of 1 lime
salt to taste.

*Soak chole in plenty of water for 6 to 8 hours and then pressure cook with salt in it till cooked but firm.
*Soak mini soya chunks in buttermilk for an hour and then pressure cook till two whistles, after the pressure drops drain and soak in  water and let sit for 10 minutes, drain and squeeze out the water.





Mix everything together. 

Put it in a greased baking dish/tray.

For the topping:

3 big potatoes boiled, peeled and mashed when hot
2 tblsp butter (amul or similar)
1 tblsp chopped herbs of your choice or just crushed black pepper 
1 tsp garlic paste or crushed garlic
1 tblsp cream
1/4 cup milk
salt to taste
Mash the potatoes when they are hot. add cream and the butter and beat well. Slowly add milk and beat to mix and become fluffy. Add salt, garlic and pepper and mix well. Spread evenly over the filling. 




Bake in hot oven for 30 minutes or till the top is crisp and golden brown in colour. 

Remove and cool slightly. 

                                                           

                                                                                                             

 Serve Hot or Warm. You can serve some whipped sour cream with this. I did not have it so I skipped it.

This is my 4th recipe in baked category.

Logo By Preeti

BM # 32 hosted by Srivalli of  http://spicingyourlife.blogspot.in/