Massaman Cottage Pie

Combining the greatest Thai curry ever with the British classic beef and potato topped pie.

Done in 4 hours

Serves 6

Dish by Hugh Woodward

Ingredients

1 tbspvegetable oil

1 kgbone in beef shin

2 tbspflaked sea salt

400ml100% coconut milk

3 tbspmassaman curry paste

3 tbspsoft brown sugar

3 tbspfish sauce

1cinnamon stick

4lime leaves

1sliced brown onion

500mlwater or chicken stock

3 tbsp, or to tastetamarind

1kgMaris Piper potatoes

2 tbspsea salt

1 largeegg

This recipe is a clever little twist. As massaman curry usually contains chunks of potato we thought why not have the potato on top in pie form? The result - a beautiful marriage between two disparate but delicious classics.

Method

Preheat the oven to 150°C.

In a frying pan (or a cast iron casserole) add the oil and the beef, frying hard until nicely browned. Season on both sides and remove the beef.

Pour half the coconut milk into the pan along with the curry paste. Cook until the mixture looks like it's going to split, being careful it doesn't burn by constant stirring.

Pour in the rest of the coconut milk, along with the sugar, fish sauce, cinnamon, lime leaves, onion, water or chicken stock and the tamarind, stirring to combine it all together. Return the beef pieces, making sure they are completely submerged. Place a lid tightly on top and place in the oven until the beef is tender - roughly 2 hours.

When tender, remove the bones. Remove the meat and reduce the liquid until it's evaporated by at least half. Skim some of the fat from the surface of the curry. Add the meat back in and spoon the curry into a deep pie dish.

Boil the potatoes until tender and pass them through a ricer. Fold through the curry fat and salt, then when the mixture has cooled mix through the egg. Spread this over the curry, or pipe it on if you are feeling fancy.

Crank up the oven to 180°C and bake for around 30 minutes, or until the filling is bubbling the mash crisp on top.

Serve!

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Hugh Woodward

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Hugh's culinary life began aged 14 when he cooked spaghetti hoop burritos to impress girls. Since then his colourful career has taken him to performing in Skegness, making cheese in Peckham, running a wine bar on Columbia Road and reluctantly working in a (briefly) Michelin Starred restaurant. He likes fish, things cooked on charcoal, cheap dinners and London's rich cultural tapestry of food shops. When he's not cooking or eating he can be found mudlarking by the river Thames, buying bits in flea markets and hanging out with his cat Keith.