Spicy Steak and Onion Pie

This is my take on a British classic: Steak and Onion Pie.
Just with few more spices and a little chilli.
The ultimate comfort food, especially on a cold winter's night.

Ingredients

1,5kg  Beef/Lamb Steak

2 tbsp Plain flour

   Vegetable oil

2-3 large onions

2 stock cubes (beef or chicken)

10 black peppercorns

1 black cardamom

5 green cardamoms

1 tsp red chilli powder

2 bay leaves

5 cloves

   fresh thyme

3 cloves of garlic

500g ready made puff pastry

1 egg (for the eggwash)

Method

Cut the steak into cubes. Heat a little oil in frying pan. 

Toss the meat cubes in the plain flour then fry until nicely brown. 

Chuck in the chopped onions and fry for a few more minutes. 

Place the fried meat and onions into a large pan, top-up with water.

Stir in all the whole spices, chili powder and stock cubes. 

Stew the meat on a low heat until tender
This can take anywhere between 1.5 to 3 hours depending on the meat.
Beef steak takes much longer than lamb. 

Stir every now and then and keep topping up the water when needed. 

Towards the end of the cooking stir in washed chopped thyme and crushed garlic.

Preheat oven to 190ºc

Season according to taste.
Transfer the meat gravy into a ovenproof dish.

Roll out the puff pastry slightly larger than your oven dish. 

Eggwash the edges of your dish and place the pastry over it crimping it lightly. 

Cut off the excess pastry and use it for making few decorations if you wish. Bake for 35-45 minutes until risen and golden brown. 

Serve with green beans or peas and mashed potato.