Lentil’s are a dietary staple throughout regions of India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Nepal and are in fact the oldest pulse crop known.
Lentil’s will keep you feeling full and satisfied. They have the ability to take on flavour like not other and this makes them perfect for using in so many dishes that contain lots of herbs and spices…like this Shephard’s pie. Pie and lentils and are combination of two of my favourite things. I love curried Dhal and I love mashed potatoes so combining them is a no brainer really. You’re left with a spicy, fragrant yet creamy and smooth Shephard’s pie.
this recipe for Shephard’s pie is essentially the same as the Curry Dhal I have previously posted. The only difference being we are swapping the rice for mashed potatoes and baking it in the oven until the potato is nice, golden and crisp on top.
I’ve used green lentils in this pie dish as they tend to hold their form a little better than yellow or red which compliments the creamy mash on top.
I like to serve my pie with a side of cooked kale and a dollop of extra natural coconut yoghurt. If you follow me on Instagram you will probably already know my love for adding coconut yoghurt to spicy, savoury dishes as I think it cuts through the spices, adding a lovely element of creaminess.
If you make this recipe, I would love your feedback. Feel welcome to add a comment below, tag me on Instagram or facebook or use the hashtag #theplantritionist I want to see your pie creations, get tagging!
I would love to hear from you!
Add all pie filling ingredients (except for the baby spinach leaves) into a large pot and set the stove to a medium heat and cover the pot with a lid. Once the mixture begins to bubble, reduce the heat down to low. Remove the lid and continue to cook until the liquid has evaporated and you're left with a lovely and thick mixture (approx. an hour). Stir occasionally to avoid burning on the bottom. If you find the mixture is getting stuck to the bottom - you can add a dash more liquid but you probably need to reduce the heat down.
Add potatoes to a large pot and cover with cold water. Place on stove and bring to the boil. Once boiling cook for at least 10 - 15 mins or until the potatoes are almost falling apart when you push a knife through. Once cooked, drain off the water and mash the potatoes until smooth. Add soy milk, a little at a time and keep mashing until you reach a lovely thick and smooth mash. Season with Salt and pepper.
Once the lentils are cooked through (approx. 1 hour if using green lentils or 30 mins if using yellow or red) Turn the stove off and add the baby spinach leaves and coconut yoghurt and stir through. The heat will wilt the baby spinach leaves. Allow the dish to rest for at least 10 minutes.
Add lentils to a pie dish and then pile the mash on top and spread until the lentils are completely covered. Add a pinch of salt to the top and place in the oven on 200 degrees for approx. 20 mins or until the top is nicely toasted and golden.
Ingredients
Directions
Add all pie filling ingredients (except for the baby spinach leaves) into a large pot and set the stove to a medium heat and cover the pot with a lid. Once the mixture begins to bubble, reduce the heat down to low. Remove the lid and continue to cook until the liquid has evaporated and you're left with a lovely and thick mixture (approx. an hour). Stir occasionally to avoid burning on the bottom. If you find the mixture is getting stuck to the bottom - you can add a dash more liquid but you probably need to reduce the heat down.
Add potatoes to a large pot and cover with cold water. Place on stove and bring to the boil. Once boiling cook for at least 10 - 15 mins or until the potatoes are almost falling apart when you push a knife through. Once cooked, drain off the water and mash the potatoes until smooth. Add soy milk, a little at a time and keep mashing until you reach a lovely thick and smooth mash. Season with Salt and pepper.
Once the lentils are cooked through (approx. 1 hour if using green lentils or 30 mins if using yellow or red) Turn the stove off and add the baby spinach leaves and coconut yoghurt and stir through. The heat will wilt the baby spinach leaves. Allow the dish to rest for at least 10 minutes.
Add lentils to a pie dish and then pile the mash on top and spread until the lentils are completely covered. Add a pinch of salt to the top and place in the oven on 200 degrees for approx. 20 mins or until the top is nicely toasted and golden.
