'Country Captain' Pie with Mutton and Spinach

Method

1. For the masala paste: preheat oven to 140°C.

2. Toast the cumin and coriander in the oven until they change colour, checking them regularly to ensure they don’t overcook, then cool (but leave the oven on).

3. In a blender, grind together the ginger, garlic, roasted cumin & coriander to a fine paste with a little water (Masala).

4. For the meat: In a large casserole, add the oil and heat until a light haze forms on the surface. Reduce the heat a little and add the pieces of lamb shoulder and brown well on all sides until the meat is well sealed.

5. Remove meat from casserole and add the whole spices and the red chillies to the pan.

6. Fry lightly for about a minute on a medium heat until the cloves swell slightly, then deglaze the casserole by adding a little water and stirring to lift the flavour-rich bits from the bottom of the pan.

7. Scrape the base with a wooden spatula until clean and add the chopped onions and fry lightly. Cook until the liquid evaporates and you are left with a sauce.

8. Fry the onions are soft and add the Masala paste. Add a little water to release any stuck Masala if necessary. Continue cooking for five to six minutes and put the meat back into the casserole, coating well with the Masala. Check seasoning.

9. Lower the heat and cover the pan tightly. Cook for 35 minutes, turning the meat after 15 minutes. Add the chopped tomatoes and if necessary some water (if the pan is dry), cover and continue cooking for another 10 to 15 minutes or until the meat feels soft and the juices run clear.

10. Remove mutton onto a tray and cool. Remove all the whole spices carefully from the gravy.

11. Once cool, shred mutton off the bone, and add to gravy. Return to heat and cook very slowly until the meat and gravy reduce to a thick consistency. Add freshly chopped coriander & check seasoning.

12. Transfer to a new, clean casserole dish leaving approximately 3cm from the top.

13. For the topping: In a medium frying pan, heat a little butter, add the cumin seeds and let them colour gently but do not over heat as the butter will burn.

14. Peel the potatoes, removing any spots, chop into chunks and boil until soft (about 15-20 minutes).

15. Drain and pass them through a ricer and put in a bowl with the cumin seeds. Retain the pan used for the cumin.

16. Add the garlic and chilli to the pan of butter and fry lightly for a minute or so. When the garlic is pale golden, add the spinach leaves, toss for a minute until soft, then season.

17. Spread the spinach and garlic mix over the mutton evenly in the casserole.

18. Blend the eggs into the potato, and cream them until soft and smooth. Spread the potato over the spinach evenly, ruffle the surface a little, and bake in the oven at 140C for 10-12 minutes or until golden. To get a nice colour on top, increase the temperature in the oven after cooking for 3-4 minutes.

19. Serve with hot bread or steamed rice.