Mashed potatoes and chicken casserole

A truly heartwarming delicacy, loaded with the goodness of minced chicken and nicely cooked potatoes layered between aromatic sauces flavored with ripe tomatoes, vegetables and spices. The chicken is nice and tender and the potatoes nicely mashed, ensuring a wholesome and filling meal to satisfy your tummy. The sauce is loaded with chicken and veggies cooked for hours to a perfectly thick and consistent layer of goodness. Topped with a generous layer of hot and bubbling cheese, this recipe will leave you craving for more.

Ingredients:

• Minced chicken
• Potatoes (Boiled and mashed) – 4
• Tomatoes – 5
• grated carrot -1
• capsicum finely chopped -1
• tomato ketchup – 2 teaspoons
• garlic – 10 cloves finely chopped
• Onions finely chopped – 1
• oregano seasoning
• ginger garlic paste – 2-3 teaspoons
• butter – 50g
• milk – 2/3 cup
• flour – 1/4 cup
• grated cheddar cheese
• olive oil- 3 teaspoons
• salt and pepper to taste

Method:

For the red sauce

1. Boil the tomatoes and puree them in a blender.
2. Cook the puree on light fame until it slightly begins to thicken.
3. Add a pinch of salt and sugar and set aside.
4. Heat olive oil in a pan and add the finely chopped garlic.
5. Once the garlic starts to turn brown, add the onions and saute well.
6. Add the grated carrots and the finely chopped capsicum when the onions turn translucent.
7. Add the minced chicken and cook until the chicken turns white.
8. Pour the tomato puree on to the cooked chicken and vegetables and add tomato ketchup.
9. When it begins to boil, season with salt, pepper and oregano spice mix.
10. On low heat let this cook for 2-2.5 hours until the sauce gets nice and thick.

For the white sauce:

1. Melt the butter and add flour to it. mix well
2. On low heat, mix well until smooth
3. Add the milk and stir well until the sauce begins to thicken.
4. Turn off the flame and season with salt and pepper.

layering:

1. Mix mashed potatoes with ginger garlic paste, salt and pepper.
2. Grease a baking pan with olive oil.
3. Add a layer of red sauce evenly spread.
4. Pour some white sauce.
5. Add a layer of mashed potatoes.
6. Pour some more thick layer of red sauce.
7. Pour some white sauce
8. Top it with another layer of white sauce.
9. Cover the entire top layer with generous amount of grated cheese.
10. Cover with a foil and microwave on medium for 10 mins
11. Remove the foil and microwave on medium for another 5 minutes.
12. Serve hot.

Notes:

1. While preparing the white sauce, make sure you keep stirring to avoid formation of lumps.
2. Make sure to add enough garlic and ginger to balance out the potatoes
3. Use ripe tomatoes for better color for the sauce.
4. I added some chilly powder to the red sauce as I wanted it to be spicy. Just make sure to add enough seasoning otherwise the cheese and potatoes would make it taste bland.