Minced lamb hotpot sounds very British, but my version leans on Indian flavours from a classic keema curry and adds a spiced potato topping.
This recipe takes around an hour and a half to prepare and cook, but it can be broken down into pieces and even prepared in advance and cooked later.
Curried Lamb Hotpot
A hotpot means different things as you stroll around the world, but for us Brits, it means a scalloped potato-topped "stew".
If you have spent any time floating around my site, you will be aware that I have quite a fondness for them.
Everything from classics like Lancashire hotpot to chicken and panacalty appear alongside more esoteric options like my North African influenced spicy beef hotpot and a wonderful vegan mushroom hotpot, to name a few.
My latest offering is a minced lamb hotpot, and it isn't based on the flavours of the classic Lancashire variant!
I look to India instead and have created a marvellous keema hotpot using a stripped-back version of my keema matar recipe.
Spicy curried lamb mince with peas form the body of the dish, and the potatoes get a sprinkling of spice too.
If you like British food and love a good curry, this "pie" is the stuff of dreams!
Frequently Asked Questions
What fat content do you use for the lamb?
This recipe benefits from a good amount of fat, because the potatoes almost cook "confit" style.
Go for at least 10%, although I usually use 20%. You can go lower if you like, but the dish is not at its best.
Does the type of potato matter?
Yes, avoid waxy “new” potatoes. An all-purpose potato or floury potato is fine. I usually use Maris Piper or King Edwards, which are classed as floury or mealy potatoes.
If you are from somewhere that uses the lamentable A,B,C system of potato classification, look for ones that are either B or C type potatoes.
Can I make this in advance?
Yes, just like my minced beef hotpot there are three ways you could approach this, I prefer option 1:
- Cook the meat and build the hotpot, then wrap it in foil and store it in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- You can make the minced lamb filling, pop it in the fridge or freezer, and cook it later.
- Cook, build and bake the hotpot, and then, cool, refrigerate and reheat later. This is my least favourite option.
Serving Suggestions
This dish is perfectly capable of providing a hearty and complete meal for two.
Although I quite often serve it with a side, and serve two-thirds of it on day one and keep a third back to share for lunch on day two.
My Indian-influenced minced lamb hotpot absolutely rocks leftovers! The flavours develop really well and the potatoes suck them all up.
I have served it with a cabbage poriyal in these pictures, although a green bean poriyal would work equally well.
When serving it as a standalone dish, a bit of kachumber salad helps cut through the richness. You could even serve it with some cucumber and mint raita; the mint works beautifully.
Equipment Used
I only mention specific brands of equipment if I think they make a material difference to a recipe. But, if you have any questions, feel free to ask them in the comments section below the recipe.
- Oven.
- Hob/Stovetop.
- 30cm or 12″ frying pan.
- 15cm or 6" saucepan.
- 21cm x 16cm x 4.5cm or 8″ x 6″ x 2″ casserole dish.
- Chopping board.
- Kitchen knife.
- Mandolin (optional).
- A combination of weighing scales, a measuring jug, cups and spoons.
- Mixing bowl.
- Stirring and serving spoons.
Indian Curried Minced Lamb (Keema) Hotpot Recipe
Ingredients
For the Keema Filling:
- 1 Medium Onion 150g
- 4 Garlic Cloves
- 2 Green Finger Chilli Peppers
- 1 tablespoon Ghee
- 12-18 Curry Leaves
- 400 g Minced Lamb 14oz
- 2 tablespoon Tomato Puree
- 1 teaspoon Coriander Powder
- 1 teaspoon Ground Cumin
- 1 teaspoon Ground Turmeric
- 1 teaspoon Kashmiri Chilli Powder
- ⅛ teaspoon Ground Cardamom
- ⅛ teaspoon Ground Cloves
- ⅛ teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
- 1 Generous Pinch Salt
- 1 teaspoon Light Brown Sugar
- 250 ml Lamb Stock 1 Cup
- 175 g Frozen Peas 1¼ Cups
- 2 teaspoon Dried Fenugreek Leaves
For the Potatoes:
- 500 g Potatoes 3 Medium (Use a floury variety)
- 2 tablespoon Ghee
- ½ teaspoon Kashmiri Chilli Powder
- ½ teaspoon Garam Masala
- ¼ teaspoon Ground Turmeric
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
Instructions
- Peel the onion, then chop it into a 4-5mm (¼") dice.
- Peel the garlic and dice it as finely as you can.
- Cut the chilli peppers into rounds.
- Heat a 30cm or 12" frying pan over a high-medium heat and add the ghee.
- Throw in the curry leaves, chilli peppers and onions and fry for 3-4 minutes until the onions begin to become golden at the edges.
- Add the garlic and cook for another minute, stirring all of the time to prevent the garlic from burning.
- Crank the heat up under the pan as high as it will go, add the minced lamb and cook it until it is browned all over. This will take between 4 and 6 minutes.
- Turn the heat down to medium, add the tomato puree, and cook it for a couple of minutes in the lamb's fat, stirring fairly regularly.
- Sprinkle over the ground coriander, cumin, Kashmiri chilli powder, turmeric, ground cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, salt and brown sugar, then mix it through the minced lamb.
- Pour in the lamb stock, mix well and cook for 10 minutes over a medium heat.
- Whilst the lamb is cooking defrost the peas by placing them in a colander and running cold water over them for a few minutes.
- When the lamb has had 10 minutes, remove it from the heat add the peas and crush in the dried fenugreek, stir and set aside whilst you prepare the potatoes.
- Mix the chilli powder, turmeric, garam masala and salt for the potatoes in a small bowl and melt the ghee over a low heat.
- Cut the potatoes into 5-6mm (¼") thick slices, a mandolin really helps with this step.
- Add the potatoes to a mixing bowl, pour over the melted ghee and spice mix, then toss to coat the potatoes evenly.
- Pour a third of the curried lamb mince mix to the bottom of a 21cm x 16cm x 4.5cm or 8″ x 6″ x 2″ casserole dish (1 Litre), then add a layer of the potato slices.
- Add the remaining lamb and arrange the remaining potatoes over the top of the curry.
- Cover the dish with foil and place it in a preheated oven at 180°C or 350°F for 50 minutes. Then remove the foil turn the oven up to 220°C or 430°F (fan mode if possible) and bake until the potatoes are golden on top. This should take around 15 minutes.