Middle Eastern Cottage Pie (Potato-Kibbeh)
This is a Middle Eastern take on Cottage Pie. Traditional Kibbeh uses Bulghur (cracked wheat) but here Potato is used to make a delicious casserole.
The Recipe Intro↓ has more information as well as Recipe Video. Don’t forget to check it out.
Ingredients:
| Minced beef | ¾ kg | |
| Light Soy sauce | 2-3 Tbsp | |
| Vinegar | ¼ tsp | |
| (1 Tbsp each fresh ginger and garlic pounded to a paste without water) | 2 Tbsp Ginger Garlic Paste | |
| Garlic, chopped finely | 3 generous Tbsp | |
| Shallots, chopped finely | 1 ¼ cup | |
| Ginger, chopped finely | 1 Tbsp | |
| Coriander powder (or more to taste) | 2 tsp | |
| Chilli powder | 1 tsp | |
| Ground allspice ( or Arabic 7 spice) | ½ tsp | |
| Green chillies, roughly chopped (remove seeds or use the less hot variety2Tbsp) | 3 hot | |
| Spring onion, greens ( loosely packed) | ½ cup | |
| Parsley, finely chopped (optional) | ¼ cup | |
| Pine seeds (can substitute with chopped cashew nuts) - optional | ¼ cup | |
| Potatoes ( or 8-9 medium sized ) | 5 large | |
| Sunflower oil | ¼ cup | |
| Egg white , beaten | 1 | |
| Salt and Pepper | To taste |
Method:
- Marinate the mince in the soy sauce, vinegar and ginger garlic paste for 1 hour.
- Place the peeled and cut up potatoes in a steamer with some water and microwave for about 12 minutes, stirring in between. Alternatively, steam or boil till well cooked and strain. Set aside.
- In a non-stick pan/wok, heat the oil.
- Add the garlic and fry till golden. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside for later.
- Remove most of the oil from the pan, leaving a small amount to stir fry the shallots. Reserve the rest of the garlic oil.
- Add the shallots and ginger to the pan. Stir fry till golden, then add the coriander, allspice and chilli powders. Stir till aromatic. Set aside with the fried garlic.
- Preheat oven to 200ºc/390ºF
- Wipe the pan clean if necessary. Add little less than half of the remaining garlic oil and heat again.
- Add marinated mince and stir fry with the green chillies, salt and pepper(1/2 tsp) to taste. Fry till water evaporates and the mince is cooked tender without over-drying the meat.
- Return all the fried ingredients (garlic, shallots and ginger with spices) to the pan and stir to combine.
- Add the spring onion and toss well. Remove and set aside to cool off.
- If using pine seeds/cashew, toast them in the pan till golden. Add to the meat mixture, now OR serve as a final garnish.
- Once the mince mixture has cooled down a bit, mix in the beaten egg white.
- Heat the remaining garlic oil. Add the cooked potato and stir fry till the oil is infused and the potato ‘just’ starts to brown. Add salt and mash well.
- Lightly oil a baking dish.
- Layer half of the mashed potato. Cover with the mince mixture. Seal the top with the remaining potato mash. Make some designs in the potato with a fork.
- Add some cold butter shavings over the top.
- Bake for 30 minutes.
- Optional – Lightly beat the eggs with salt and pepper. Pour over the top and broil another 10 minutes (oven heat only from top) till top is golden.
- Remove from oven and allow to rest for 15-20 minutes before serving.
Middle Eastern Cottage Pie (Potato-Kibbeh)
Notes:
- Optional: Make the top potato layer smooth. Beat 1 large egg with salt and pepper and spread over the potato layer before baking.
Key Ingredients: Minced Beef/Lamb, Potato, Garlic, Shallots, Ginger, Spices, Spring Onion, Parsley, Salt, Pepper, Oil
EAT AND TELL!!! Let us know if you tried – Middle Eastern Cottage Pie (Potato-Kibbeh)
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