Keema Pie

A casserole dish with spiced keema topped with mashed potatoes and a chunk taken out.

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A flavorful, comforting mash-up of British shepherd's pie with Indian ingredients.

Prep Time25

Cook Time1

Total Time1 25

Servings: servings

Calories: 477kcal

Author: Karishma Pradhan

Equipment

8-inch or 9-inch oval casserole dish or 8-inch by 8-inch baking pan, see notes

Ingredients

For the turmeric mash:

2 russet potatoes about 20 ounces
Salt and black pepper for seasoning
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
⅛ teaspoon ground turmeric
½ cup milk 2% or whole milk preferred

For the keema filling:

2 tablespoons neutral oil such as canola oil or avocado oil
1 teaspoon cumin seeds optional, see notes
2 cloves optional
1 cinnamon stick optional
1 yellow onion finely diced
1 (1-inch) piece ginger peeled and finely grated
3 cloves garlic finely grated or minced
1 pound ground turkey
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 ½ teaspoons garam masala
1 teaspoon Diamond-Crystal Kosher Salt or ½ teaspoon of any other salt, plus more if needed
1 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder use half the amount if you are sensitive to spice!
½ teaspoon ground turmeric
1 cup water
¾ cup frozen peas or fresh peas (see notes)

For assembly:

1 tablespoon unsalted butter cut up into ¼-inch cubes
Black pepper for topping

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Prep the turmeric mash:

Scrub and peel 2 russet potatoes, then cut into 1-inch cubes. Rinse the potatoes in water a few times to remove any excess starch.
Transfer potatoes to a large pot, then fill with water to cover. Add a couple tablespoons of salt (this helps season the insides!), then cover and bring to a boil.
Once boiling, remove the lid, and simmer for 10 - 15 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Drain potatoes in a strainer, then set aside.

Note: If you have a potato ricer, rice the potatoes for a very smooth consistency and set aside while you prepare the milk mixture. Otherwise, you'll mash them later on.

In the same pot, melt 4 tablespoons unsalted butter over medium-low heat. Once melted, add ⅛ teaspoon ground turmeric and a generous amount of freshly grated black pepper.
Add ½ cup milk and heat until barely steaming. Remove from the heat, then add the potatoes. Using a fork or potato masher, mash into the milk to your desired texture (if not already mashed). Taste and season with salt and more black pepper if needed.

Prep the keema:

Meanwhile, make the keema.
In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons neutral oil over medium heat. Add 1 teaspoon cumin seeds, 2 cloves, and 1 cinnamon stick (if using).
Once the spices are sizzling, immediately add 1 yellow onion (finely diced) and saute for 10 - 15 minutes, or until the onion is soft and golden-brown.

Note: No whole spices? Skip that step and simply saute the onion in oil.

Saute 1 (1-inch) piece ginger (finely grated) and 3 cloves garlic (finely grated) for 10 - 15 minutes seconds, then add 1 pound ground turkey. Cook the turkey, breaking up into small pieces with a wooden spoon, until browned and mostly cooked through, about 5 - 8 minutes.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 425℉/218℃.
Add 2 tablespoons tomato paste, 1 ½ teaspoons garam masala, 1 teaspoon Diamond-Crystal Kosher Salt, 1 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder, and ½ teaspoon ground turmeric.
Allow the tomato paste to reduce and darken slightly, about 2 minutes, then stir in 1 cup water. Cover and simmer keema for 10 - 15 minutes, or until the meat is fully cooked through and the gravy is saucy but not watery.
Taste and season with salt, as needed. Finally, stir in ¾ cup frozen peas.

Note: In traditional Indian cooking, whole spices like cinnamon and cloves are not removed before serving. We usually just discard them to the side while eating. If you'd prefer to remove them beforehand, do so now. It may take a minute or so to find and remove the cloves!

Assemble & bake:

Assemble: Transfer keema filling to your casserole dish, then spread mash evenly to fully cover filling and seal the edges. Using the back of a spoon, create divots all over the mash (this will produce a fun texture as it bakes).
Dot the top with 1 tablespoon unsalted butter (cut into ¼-inch cubes) and black pepper, then set over a foil-lined baking sheet to catch any drips. Bake in the oven for 15 - 20 minutes until the top is dry and golden-brown.
Remove from the oven and cool for 10 minutes before serving. For additional browning, feel free to broil for 1 - 2 minutes.

Notes

Equipment: This is a smaller portion of a typical Shepherd's pie, so I usually bake it in a smaller baking dish, like an 8 to 9-inch oval casserole dish or square baking dish with about 2 - 3 inches of height.

Whole Spices: The whole spices listed in this recipe add a lot of nice warming flavor, but they're not absolutely necessary! If you add them, make sure to remove the cloves and cinnamon before baking (or warn your guests in advance so no one's biting into a stick of cinnamon accidentally).

Kashmiri Chili Powder: This amount of chili powder yields a mild heat, but if you're sensitive to spice, use less.

Fresh Peas: If using fresh peas, add them at the same time as the frozen peas, but simmer for 2 - 3 minutes longer, or until tender. Very fresh peas will cook quickly, while more mature peas may need additional time.

Serving Suggestions: Because the filling is quite flavorful, I recommend serving with a dollop of yogurt, a cucumber raita, or a super bright green salad.

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