Bobotie

Cuisine: Unknown

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Serves: 6

This delicious, quick, and easy African delicacy will definitely make you drool. The rich mixture of minced meat and fruits, with a creamy golden topping, will leave you wanting more. So, let’s learn how to make Bobotie in simple steps.

White bread
Chopped onions
Butter
Crushed garlic cloves
1 kg minced beef
2 tbsp Madras curry paste
Dried mixed herbs
Allspice berries
Cloves
Peach chutney
Bay leaves
300 ml full cream milk
2 eggs

African delicacy for meat lovers!

Heat the oven to 180C/fan. Soak bread in cold water and set aside.
Take a large pan and add butter. Fry the onions till golden brown. Then add the garlic and minced beef and stir occasionally till the meat changes color.
Mix the curry paste, herbs, chutney, spices, and 2 bay leaves to the minced meat. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Cover the mixture and simmer for 8-10 minutes.
Take the soaked bread, squeeze the water from it, and beat into the meat mixture. Take an oval or a square ovenproof dish and spread the mixture evenly. Press it down well and make sure the top is smooth.
Beat milk and eggs in a bowl and add the seasonings. Pour over the meat mixture in the dish and bake for at least 30 minutes till it starts to turn golden.

Chef Tip: You may top it with a few more bay leaves before baking for that extra kick of traditional flavour.

This Bobotie recipe makes for the perfect comfort food on chilly winter nights. Try this flavour-packed yet super easy African delicacy at home and share how it became one of your favourites in the comments below.

Quick Bites

Fun Fact

• Bobotie was selected by 2008 US Masters golf champion, Trevor Immelman from South Africa, for the menu at Augusta’s annual “Champions Dinner” in April 2009.

• Slaves who came to the Cape of Indonesia, Java, and the surrounding islands brought with them the exotic spices that make this dish so so special.

Historical Fact

• Colonists from the Dutch East India Company colonies in Batavia probably introduced bobotie to South Africa. The first recipe for bobotie appeared in a Dutch book in 1609.

Nutrition Fact

• Meat, the primary ingredient used for preparing the dish, is a rich source of proteins, essential amino acids, and phosphorus. The various kinds of herbs and spices present in bobotie are known to aid digestion.