Mutton Pie

A speciality of Singha Mahal

Most Rana houses had their own Indian khansamas or cooks, who were usually Muslim and sometimes Goan, like cook Francis in Singha Mahal who churned out delicious Continental recipes. This mutton pie was his speciality and is still a favourite of the family. General Singha Shumsher, whose name in Nepali means ‘lion’, said he loved eating meat because that’s what the lions ate!
Ingredients
• 800 g boneless mutton, cut in
1“ cubes
• 3 boiled potatoes
• 1 cup onions, sliced in rounds
• 4 hard-boiled eggs
• 1 cup ghee
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 4 small cardamoms
• 1/2 tsp fennel seeds
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon powder
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• 2.5 cups maida (refined flour)
• 2 cups mutton fat/lard
• salt to taste
Method
Cut the mutton into 1” pieces with no membrane and fat attached. Boil the potatoes and eggs. Slice onions, boiled potatoes, and tomatoes into 1/4” thick slices and keep aside. Heat the ghee in a pressure cooker and add the whole spices and sliced onions. Stir till the onions turn into a nice golden-brown.
Add the mutton pieces and keep stirring until the meat changes colour and turns brown. Add the cumin, coriander powder and salt and stir for another 2 minutes. Once the meat and the onions are well integrated, add 4 cups of water and cook in the pressure cooker for 4 whistles.
For the pastry
Mix enough water in the flour to make a nice soft dough. Cover and keep aside for half an hour. Roll out the dough making it 1/4” thick in the shape of the pan. Melt the fat and brush gently on the dough. Cover one side over the other and apply the melted lard again, fold the other side over again and make a square shape, apply lard on the surface again, roll into an oblong making it stand vertically and squash the cylinder shape into a round patty. Roll out again and repeat the same procedure remembering to brush the melted lard all over the exposed surface. You can repeat this procedure 2–3 times, this rolling of the pastry and brushing with the melted lard makes it light and flaky.
Once the pastry is ready, you can roll out the dough in the shape of the pan. Add the mutton and broth to the pan and interspace the potatoes, onions and tomatoes over the mixture. Cut the boiled eggs in half, lengthways and place on top. Add a little cinnamon powder on top. Roll out the pastry gently over the top letting 1” over the sides. Brush the whole surface with beaten egg white. Cut a 1/2” strip and line the edge of the pan again.
You can decorate the centre of the pan with leaf or flower shapes, and brush with egg white again. Bake at 130° C for 20 minutes.
The pie should be a golden-brown with a light and fluffy pastry. Enjoy!

Recipe credit: Mrs Jaya Rajya Laxmi Shah, favourite granddaughter of
General Singha S.J.B. Rana, son of Maharaja Chandra S.J.B. Rana.