Bobotie is the dish that holds the complicated history of South African cuisine in one casserole. The spices are Cape Malay — turmeric, curry, coriander. The minced meat tradition is European. The fruit-and-nut sweetness is from the Cape’s trading-port past. Eat it with yellow rice and a fruit chutney, and it explains the country.
Ingredients
For the meat
- 2 lbs ground lamb (or beef, or a 50/50 mix)
- 2 medium onions, diced
- 3 tbsp butter or vegetable oil
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tbsp mild curry powder
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground cloves
- 2 tbsp apricot jam (or chutney)
- 2 tbsp fruit chutney (Mrs. Ball’s if available)
- 2 tbsp white vinegar
- 1/3 cup raisins or sultanas
- 1/3 cup flaked almonds
- 2 slices day-old white bread, crusts removed
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
For the topping
- 2 large eggs
- 1 1/4 cups milk
- 1/2 tsp turmeric
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 4-6 bay leaves
- 2 tbsp flaked almonds for garnish
Method
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish.
Soak the bread slices in 1/2 cup milk in a bowl. Squeeze excess milk out and reserve both the bread and the soaked milk separately.
Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and cook 8 minutes until soft and starting to brown.
Add garlic, curry powder, turmeric, coriander, cinnamon, and cloves. Stir 30 seconds until fragrant.
Add the ground meat. Break up with a spoon and cook 6-8 minutes until no longer pink.
Stir in the apricot jam, chutney, vinegar, raisins, almonds, soaked bread (mashed in), salt, and pepper. Cook 3-4 minutes more.
Transfer to the baking dish, smoothing the top.
Whisk eggs, the remaining 1 1/4 cups milk, turmeric, and salt for the topping. Pour over the meat. Lay bay leaves on top, partially embedded. Sprinkle with flaked almonds.
Bake 30-35 minutes until the topping is set, golden, and just barely jiggles when shaken.
Rest 5 minutes before serving. Serve with yellow rice (rice cooked with turmeric and raisins) and a fruit chutney on the side.
The bay leaves are not decorative — they perfume the custard as it cooks. Don’t skip them.