“Mom, can you make the vegan samosa shepherd’s pie granny makes us?” Chris asked his mother while staring at the picture of this yummy vegan samosa shepherd’s pie on his iPad with his little cute eyes his mother finds difficult to turn down whenever he makes a request.

It’s a long holiday ahead of us and perhaps that restaurant you order your favorite vegan samosa shepherd’s pie from is on lockdown but your cravings are quite busy and active. Maybe, your mother makes the best vegan samosa shepherd’s pie for your kids but she is so far away and you are left with no choice but to make one for your kids.

Perhaps, you are trying out a new dish and a vegan samosa shepherd’s pie sounds like a good idea. We all know how cravings can be pretty intensive and while you have them, nothing else matters until you satisfy your stomach urges. If you love a vegan samosa shepherd’s pie or you simply want to try out a new dish but you have no idea how to go about making one, do not panic, the recipe is pretty simple and straight forward. You can even make ahead the mixture and bake right before serving.

1. Preheat oven to 375F with a rack in the center. Place the potatoes/sweet potatoes in a medium saucepan, cover with water, salt as you would pasta water, and bring to a boil for about ten minutes, or until tender.
2. Drain, and return to saucepan over heat for a minute or so to dry out a bit. Add the coconut milk, and the salt, and mash together. Set aside.
3. In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, combine the coconut oil with the onion and garlic, and a generous pinch of salt. Sauté for a few minutes, until onions are translucent, and then turn the heat up and add the mushrooms.
4. Cook, stirring every couple of minutes, until the mushrooms release their water, and start to brown. Add the tomatoes and spices. Stir well, then add the cooked split peas and peas. Cook for another minute or two, taste, and adjust with more garam masala or salt if needed.
5. Transfer the mushroom mixture to a 8-inch baking dish (or equivalent), spreading it across in a somewhat even layer. Dollop the potatoes across the top, and gently push them around until they cover the entire top of the casserole, run the tines of a fork across the top if you like a bit of texture.
6. Bake for 25 minutes, and finish under a broiler to add a bit of extra color and texture to the top. Serve as-is, or sprinkled with any (or all) of the suggested toppings.