This dish was somewhat inspired by a fantastic Indian restaurant we used to live near at our old house. They’d usually have a funky special or two that would vary with the season, and one such special was a very intriguing Fusion item: Curried Venison Shepherd’s Pie! All these years later, that dish still stands out to us, and we decided to use Venison in an Indian inspired dish.
We began by marinating our meat in yogurt to make it more tender during the “devour” part of the method, which made the “enjoy” step very easy to do. We then coupled it with steamed cauliflower and topped it with a creamy tomato sauce before serving over rice.
Time: 30 Minutes (+ a few hours to marinate the meat and to soak your cashews)
Ingredients:
- For your Meat:
- Cubed Venison Stew Meat
- Whole Milk Plain Yogurt
- Garam Masala
- Turmeric
- Black Pepper
- Cauliflower
- For your Sauce:
- Onion
- Garlic
- Ginger
- Tomatoes
- Garam Masala
- Raw Cashews (soaked for a few hours in warm water)
- Optional: Garlic Mustard
Method:
- Combine your venison, yogurt, and seasonings (in the “for your meat” section) in a bowl, and fold together. Then, cover with plastic wrap, and allow to marinate in the fridge for a few hours.
- When you’re ready to cook, cut your cauliflower into florets and boil until soft. Drain, and set aside.
- As your cauliflower cooks, dice your onion, garlic, ginger, and tomatoes.
- Melt some ghee in a pan, and add your onion, garlic, and ginger along with some garam masala. Sauté for a few minutes until your onions turn opaque.
- Add your tomatoes to the pan, and cook until they soften and almost melt.
- Add your soaked cashews as well.
- If using, add in your garlic mustard and wilt.
- Transfer your pan veggies (not the cauliflower) into your blender, and puree.
- Melt some more ghee into a large pan, and when it’s hot, add your marinated venison cubes. Cook to brown, and then add your cauliflower.
- When your meat is nearly fully cooked, pour in your tomato puree, and fold in all of your ingredients.
- Bring to a simmer, and allow your meat to finish.
- Plate, devour, and enjoy!
