South African Bobotie
Bobotie combines a fascinating array of ingredients: meat, curry, spices and dried fruit. The result is a unique tasting sweet, sour and spicy meat dish. It was traditional for the Malay people to have a Sunday roast each week. On the following Monday, they would use the leftover roast meat (beef or lamb) to make “Bobotie.” They would grind the meat up, add the various ingredients mentioned above, and then pour an egg mixture on top of everything before baking it in the oven. The dish is served with rice and vegetables.
Servings: 8
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 2 medium onions, finely chopped
- 2.5 pounds ground beef, extra lean
- 2 bread slices, soaked in ½ cup of milk
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup milk
- 1 tablespoon Madras curry powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 0.5 teaspoon pepper
- 0.5 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 medium lemon, freshly squeezed
- 0.5 cup raisins
- 0.5 cup chopped dried apricots
- 0.25 cup shaved almonds
- 3 small bay leaves or lemon leaves
- 2 medium bananas, ripe
Instructions
- Heat oven to 400ºF /200ºC.
- Soak chopped, dried apricots in boiling water to soften and then drain when soft. Melt the butter in a large pan, fry the onions and then add the meat and cook until browned. With a wooden spatula, break down the meat while cooking to avoid thick chunks.
- Soak the bread in the milk on a plate until soggy and set aside. While the mince is cooking, add and mix into it all the ingredients except the milk, eggs, lemon and bay leaves. Add a quarter cup of water if it starts to get dry. When it is all mixed, add the two slices of soggy bread and mash it into the mixture. Remove from heat and add two eggs, mixing before it sets. Spoon the mixture into a greased oven dish, then pop the leaves into the mince. Make sure the mince is spread flat and packed tightly.
- Beat the remaining egg with the remaining milk and pour uniformly over the mince. Bake for about 40 minutes or until the egg mixture is thoroughly cooked and golden brown. Serve with your favorite chutney, and bananas cut into slices.
Notes
Bobotie is a traditional dish that has become a trademark of South African cuisine. When the Malaysian slaves arrived at the Cape in the late sixteenth and seventeenth century, they brought with them numerous eastern recipes.
