Bobotie

Troy A. Hakala's Note:

This is a common South African dish, also known as Beef Pie.

• Total Time: 1 hrs 45 mins
• Prep Time: 1 hrs
• Cook Time: 45 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 6

• 2 ounces butter
• 1 cup onion , thinly sliced
• 1 apple , peeled and diced
• 2 lbs beef , chopped and cooked
• 2 slices bread , soaked in milk
• 2 tablespoons curry powder
• ½ cup raisins
• 2 tablespoons slivered almonds
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 egg
• ½ teaspoon turmeric
• 6 bay leaves
• 1 egg
• ½ cup whole milk

Directions:

1. Melt the butter in a saucepan.
2. Add the onions and saute for 5 minutes.
3. Add the apple dice and cook for 1 more minute.
4. Add the chopped beef and mix together.
5. Squeeze out the excess milk from the bread slices.
6. Tear up the bread slices and add to pot.
7. Add the curry powder, raisins, almonds, lemon juice, egg, and turmeric, and stir well.
8. Place mixture in a greased 9 x 13" baking dish.
9. Place bay leaves vertically in the casserole.
10. Bake at 325 degrees F for 40 minutes, then remove from the oven.
11. Mix together the egg and milk
12. Then pour it over the Bobotie.
13. Bake for 15 more minutes.
14. Remove bay leaves before serving.

Reviews

[Zurie]

Sounds gooood, Troy. The ingredients are about right, although if you're a lazy cook you don't have to pre-cook the minced beef (CHOPPED beef??) Or is that just American for meat put through a mincer? It could be improved further by adding some chutney and ground cumin. Otherwise it's a really trad. version. It's always served with rice (and whatever else, in side dishes) EDITED A LITTLE, 2 Nov 2008: Checking out bobotie recipes for leftover leg of lamb, I read this again. Troy, you will get a better result (I should have spotted this 1st time round) if you add the curry powder and turmeric to the softened sauteed onions -- this brings out the flavour of the curry much more than just adding it to the meat mixture. Adding (if you like the flavours) ground cumin, ground cinnamon and cardamom to the curry powder will also lend it a more exotic, true flavour. The good Cape Malay cooks all mix their own curry powders with various spices and dried hot pepper, and do not use commercial curry powder (that's just an aside!) So no bobotie ever tastes exactly the same. You can also sub 1 tablespoon fine apricot jam for the apple. Happy cooking!

[Chef #220953]

This is my basic recipe for Bobotie. Some changes: I use half lamb and I don't precook the onions, apples or meat. I add extra fruit and don't use the nuts (allergies). I use the zest from the lemon and rice milk for the custard (allergies.)I also add about a teaspoon grated ginger. I agree that you can bump up the spices. Extra curry, salt, pepper, a bit of cayenne. I always serve with chutney!

[chia]

this made a better dish the night i made and served it.( i had to have a taste!) i did freeze it for a week. i reheated and i found the spices not as pronounced. i would use more curry in the future if i was making it to freeze for oamc.