Bobotie
South Africa's spiced baked mince. Bobotie is a Cape Malay classic: curry-spiced mince with dried fruit baked under a golden egg custard. Its history and our easy recipe.
Bobotie with yellow rice: Olga Ernst, CC BY-SA 4.0
A Cape classic
Bobotie is often called South Africa's national dish. It is closely linked to the Cape Malay community of Cape Town, whose ancestors came from Southeast Asia and other regions and brought spices and cooking techniques that blended with local and European traditions.
Sweet, spicy, savoury
The dish combines minced beef or lamb with onions, curry powder, turmeric and other spices, plus milk-soaked bread for softness, and a touch of sweetness from chutney, apricot jam or raisins. A savoury custard of egg and milk is poured over the top and baked until set and golden. Bay or lemon leaves tucked into the custard add aroma.
How it is served
Bobotie is traditionally served with geelrys, yellow rice cooked with turmeric and often raisins, plus fruit chutney and fresh sambals such as tomato and onion or banana. It is a family meal and a favourite for gatherings.
Variations
Recipes vary from family to family: some add almonds, others use lamb, ostrich or lentils for a vegetarian version. Leftovers make excellent sandwich fillings the next day.
Make Bobotie at home
Ingredients
- 2 slices white bread
- 350 ml milk, divided
- 2 tbsp oil
- 2 onions, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 2 tbsp mild curry powder
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 800 g minced beef or lamb
- 2 tbsp fruit chutney
- 1 tbsp apricot jam
- 50 g raisins
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- Salt and pepper
- 2 large eggs
- 4 bay leaves
Method
- Heat the oven to 180 C. Soak the bread in 150 ml of the milk.
- Fry the onions in oil until soft, add garlic, curry powder and turmeric and cook 1 minute.
- Add the mince and brown it. Squeeze the bread, mash it in, then add chutney, jam, raisins, lemon juice, salt and pepper.
- Spread in a baking dish and press down.
- Whisk the eggs with the remaining 200 ml milk and a pinch of salt; pour over the meat and tuck in the bay leaves.
- Bake 35 to 40 minutes until the custard is set and golden. Serve with yellow rice and chutney.
- Bobotie with yellow rice: Olga Ernst, CC BY-SA 4.0
Text written by Bongara Bongara.
