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Shepherd's Pie Recipe  EastWest version

This special recipe has taken the best of both worlds, by adding some Eastern ingredients to this Western recipe. By using chilies, oyster sauce and chicken stock, mixed with the traditional pie sauces, the result is a delicious and moist meat base with just a tad of kick from the chilies. For more or less of the ingredients, its entirely up to the individual, but I would use the following estimates to suit my taste bud. I have baked this on many occasions and it never fails to get people asking for the recipe.

Ingredients:
500g minced meat; 1-1.5kg potatoes; 3-4 tbsp ketchup; 3-4 oyster sauce; 2-3 tbsp worcester sauce; 3 medium onions; 6 garlic ; 3-4 cups of mixed vegetables (green peas, corn, carrot); 4-6 tbsp milk; 4-6 tbsp butter; 2 chicken cubes; 4-5 chili padi (small chilies and hotter than the usual ones, if not available, normal chili's can still be used); sliced button mushrooms ; grated cheese; salt and pepper.

Methods to make the meat filling :
Saute/fry onions for a while, add the minced meat, stir till its almost cooked. Add the sauces, chicken cubes, oyster sauce, ketchup. Then add mixed veggies, mushrooms, chili's. Salt and pepper. If you wish, you can remove the chilies from the mixture once cooked.

Methods to make the mash potatoes:
Boil potatoes and mash (without skin of course). Add milk and butter; salt and pepper. Ensure they are well mixed. (I always end up with just a bit more milk and butter).

For baking:
Place minced meat mixture in a baking tin, level it. Place the mashed potatoes on top and level it. Use a fork to make some designs on top, when its brown, makes it look pretty. Then sprinkle grated cheese on top, how much you desire , it's up to you. Bake in pre-heated oven at 210C for estimated 30-40minutes, check in once in a while, as long as the top is brown, you are done.

Some tips:
I used to mash potatoes by first boiling them with the skins, and then peel them and mash them, which was usually very hard work. Till I was taught by a chef, who peeled the potatoes before boiling and cut them up into cubes, add salt. They cook faster and so easy to mash, and does not shortchange the taste. For the westerners, if you do not wish to use chilis, use lots of pepper. For the Asians with fiery tongue, use chili padis for that kick, more if you wish but don't get burned!

Try it,
Nora Maskuri
For more tips and recipes, visit http://mycookery.com/blog

Noraini Maskuri enjoys cooking and likes to experiment with food, and has professional training in bakery. She is the owner of MyCookery.com and has a blog at mycookery.com/blog