Bobotie – A Favorite South African Dish
Bobotie
No South African Traveller’s Guide would be complete without mention of Bobotie, a staple of South African cuisine. It is believed to have originated with the Dutch and gets its name from the Indonesian word Bobotok.
Bobotie has been part of the South African cuisine since about the 27th century. Back then it was made mainly with mutton and pork which were combined. Nowadays it is usually made using either beef or lamb. Knowing how to prepare the dish should be part of any South African traveller’s Guide, because most people who taste it really like it and want to make it themselves.
As part of a South African traveller’s guide it must be noted that traditional Bobotie also makes use of dried fruits such as raisons and apricots. As far as South African cuisine goes, Bobotie should be prepared the same way that the locals prepare it.
Bobotie is not a spicy dish despite the added curry powder that is sometimes used. Today one can find Bobotie (or variations of it) all over the continent thanks to South African settlers who carried it with them on their travels.
Making this slightly sweet and slightly spicy minced dish is not that difficult if you have a good recipe to follow. Below you will find a traditional Cape Malay recipe for Bobotie suitable for any South African traveller’s guide:
Method:
To continue with the making of this staple of South African cuisine you will need to pre-heat your oven preheated to 180°C.
Soak the bread in water for a few minutes and squeeze out the excess. Make sure you crumble the bread.
Heat oil in a large frying pan and add the onions.
Fry the onions until they are golden brown.
Add the eggs to your mince mixture and combine.
When the onions are golden brown add them to the mixture along with the hot water, crumbled bread, turmeric, and dried fruit.
Once you have mixed all of the dry ingredients into the mince you can then place the mixture into an oven-proof dish and bake for about forty minutes. When it is a yummy-looking golden brown you know you can remove it from the oven.
For the topping you need to combine another egg with the milk and pour this over the Bobotie mixture. Arrange the bay leaves as a garnish and return the dish to the oven until everything is set. As part of South African cuisine this meal can be served with rice or salad.
For the filling you will require:
- 1 lb. minced beef
- 2x eggs
- 2 slices of white bread (minus the crusts)
- 1 thinly sliced onion
- 5ml cooking oil
- 5ml hot water
- 5ml sugar (brown or white)
- 5ml fresh lemon juice
- 5ml curry powder (optional but suggested)
- Half tsp ground cloves
- 1 tsp crushed garlic
- 1 tsp turmeric
- Salt to taste
- For the topping you will need:
- 1 lightly whipped egg
- 250ml milk
Bay leaves for garnishing (although walnuts and bananas can be used)
What is your favorite South African Dish?
What is your favorite South African Dish?
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