We think of Korma as a curry for beginners. Probably the mildest of all the Indian spice blends, Korma is the one to try out on children and spice novices. Mild, of course, does not necessarily equate to boring. With no fewer than eleven spices making up the Cape Herb & Spice Korma Exotic Spice blend, how could it?

Now normally a Korma is served curry-and-rice style. But there’s so much more you could do with it such as this pocket-friendly beef shin and potato pie – a deluxe one-pot wonder meal!

This recipe comes to you with a choice: 1) The high road – which involves yoghurt and shortcrust pastry or… 2) The low road – which, rather predictably, involves cream and buttery puff pastry. The choice of course is yours, but with the evenings growing cooler we think we may just opt for the very belly-pleasing richer low road, and hit the gym 15 minutes earlier the morning after.

Korma Beef Shin & Potato Pie

This recipe makes one large pie that will serve 4-6 people.

What you need

800g beef shin, cut into bite-sized cubes
Vegetable oil for frying
4 tbsp flour mixed with a pinch of salt and black pepper
1 cup finely chopped onion
2 tsp minced garlic
2 tbsp Cape Herb & Spice Korma Exotic Spices blend
2 XL potatoes, peeled and cubed
2 cups beef stock
½ cup cream OR ½ cup low-fat plain yoghurt
Salt to taste
Store-bought puff pastry OR shortcrust pastry
1 egg, whisked with 2 tbsp water or milk

What to do

Toss the beef cubes in the flour and shake off any excess. Fry the beef off in a splash of vegetable oil until nicely caramelised. (You’ll need to do this in batches. If you crowd the pan, your meat will not brown.) Set the browned shin aside and fry the onion over low heat in the same pan for five minutes. (Add a dash more oil if needed.) Next add the garlic and Korma spice and fry for a further minute.

Add the meat back to the pan along with any resting juices. Add the potatoes and stock, cover and turn the heat down low. Simmer until the shin is soft, stirring it from time to time to prevent it sticking to the bottom and adding a bit more water if it is cooking dry. Once the shin is soft, add the cream or yoghurt and stir through. Taste and adjust salt as needed.

Allow the pie filling to cool, then cover with the pastry. Make a slit in the middle of the pastry to allow steam to escape during baking.

Paint the pastry with the egg wash and bake in a 200 ˚C oven until the pastry is cooked through and golden.

Love this recipe? Check out this recipe for Beef Fillet with Pangrattato and these Ultimate Roast Potatoes

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