Bobotie (Afrikaans),pronounced ba-boor-tea, is the national dish of South Africa: A delicious mixture of curried minced meat and exotic spices with a creamy golden egg-based topping. A truly comforting meal, full of the flavours of Africa! Cape Malay cuisine is a classic South African fusion of the tastes of Asia and Europe. The Cape Malay community is descended from Malay, Javanese and Indian slaves, among other Asians, who were shipped to Cape Town in the 17th century by the Dutch East India Company. INGREDIENTS 1 kg minced meat (beef or lamb) 2 medium onions, peeled and chopped 2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped 2 medium tomatoes, chopped 2 tbsp (30 ml) canola oil 2 tbsp (30 ml) curry powder 1 tbsp (15 ml) turmeric ½ tsp (1 ml) ground cumin (optional) ½ tsp (1 ml) ground coriander (optional) ½ tsp (1 ml) allspice (optional) 1 ½ tsp (6 ml) salt ½ tsp (1 ml) black pepper 1 tbsp (30 ml) sugar 3 tbsp (45 ml) white vinegar or lemon juice 2 slices white bread (crust removed) 2 large eggs 1 cup (250 ml) milk 80 g raisins 3 tbsp (45 ml) fruit chutney Grated lemon rind (of 1 lemon) 3 bay leaves 10-12 almonds, blanched and roughly chopped Lemon leaves, lemon balm or bay leaves to garnish METHOD Preheat the oven to 170°C. Grease a shallow casserole dish. Soak the bread in the milk, squeeze out, then strain the milk and set aside. Heat the oil and fry the meat with the onions and carrots until golden brown. Add the spices and fry for 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and fry for a further 2 minutes. Add the bread to the meat mixture along with the sugar, vinegar (or lemon juice), raisins, chutney, lemon rind and bay leaves. Cook for 5 minutes over a medium heat, then remove from the stove top. Add one of the eggs (beaten) and the almonds. Pack and press into the greased casserole dish. Cover and bake for 30 minutes. Beat the second egg together with the strained milk (plus a little extra to make 250 ml). Remove the casserole from the oven and carefully pour over the egg-milk mixture in a smooth layer. Return the casserole to the oven and bake uncovered for a further 30 minutes until the topping has set. Garnish and enjoy! Serving Suggestion: White rice, banana slices dusted in roasted coconut flakes, mango or paw-paw slices, tomato and onion relish, cucumber and chutney. Perfectly Paired Wine: Chenin blanc, barrel-fermented Chardonnay, Riesling, Pinot noir or a light Pinotage. * Nutritional values are based on the items listed under “ingredients” and have been calculated based on 6 portions. These values should serve as a guideline only. |