Bobotie is a South African dish of curry spiced mince topped with egg and baked in the oven until the egg forms a crust on top. It is best served with yellow rice and sweet potatoes plus a spoon of Mrs Balls peach chutney, according to Louise who passed the recipe to me.

Link to measurement conversion chart

Makes enough for 6 - 8 portions

Ingredients

• 1lb Minced Beef
• 1 onion
• 3 eggs
• 250ml Milk
• 100g seedless raisins
• 100g Blanched Almonds chopped
• 1 slice of white bread
• 6tsp Malt vinegar
• 4 tsp Curry Powder
• 4 Tbsp Mango Chutney
• 2 Tbsp Apricot Jam
• 2tsp Turmeric
• Pinch salt
• Knob of butter or splash of oil
• 2 bay leaves to decorate

You will also need

• 1 Large frying pan
• 1 large casserole dish

Method

1. Soak the bread in 125ml milk, squeeze the bread to remove the milk again then mix the bread with the mince.
2. Add all the remaining ingredients, except the milk, butter/oil and eggs, to the mince and combine well.
3. Fry the mince mixture, in batches, in the melted butter/oil until browned then put into the casserole dish, levelling the top once done.
4. Beat the eggs and remaining milk together and pour on top of the mince mixture then decorate with the bay leaves
5. Bake in the oven for 40 – 50 mins until the eggs have set and browned.

Serving suggestions and variations

• Serve with yellow rice and mashed sweet potatoes, I was told off as the Bobotie should be served on the rice, not next to it as in the photo!
• Looks good decorated with Bay leaves. Place the leaves on top of the eggy mix before you bake it.
• Bobotie is a curried dish and would work well with a side dish of curried vegetables as an alternative to the sweet potato
• If you find the dish a little sweet for your taste omit the chutney and jam but serve chutney on the side
• Louise recommends Mrs Balls Apricot chutney as an accompaniment
• We think piling the mashed sweet potato on top of the mince, instead of the egg, would make a great twist on cottage pie.
• If you have room for pud try Louise’s Lemon Meringue Pie, it is also from South Africa

Acknowledgements

We here introduced to Bobotie by Louise, who originates from South Africa. Having eaten it loads at home Louise admits that she hadn’t tried cooking this dish until she arrived in the UK. I think the recipe travelled well. Louise dished it up as a main for a girls night in and it became a new addition to our recipe book. Thanks Louise

If you enjoyed this recipe you might also like to try our recipes for

• Our Carrot Bhajia is a great addition to a curry but goes well with Bobooti too.
• Great for an addition to the buffet table at a BBQ Hot Aloo Potatoes make a pleasant change from potato salad
• Another great South African recipe includes Louise's Lemon Meringue Pie.

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Happy eating!