Bobotie

Pure South African comfort food! Especially nice in winter, or cold with a salad in summer.

(Serves 6)

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 onions, sliced
• 1 kg lean minced beef
• 1 thickish slice of white bread
• 1 C milk
• 1 tbsp medium curry powder
• 1½ tbsp sugar
• 2 tsp salt
• grated pepper (about ½ tsp)
• ¾ tsp turmeric
• 1½ tbsp malt vinegar
• ½ C seedless raisins
• 2 tbsp strong chutney
• 2 bay leaves (or lemon leaves)
• 2 medium eggs

Method

Preheat the oven to 180ºC.

Heat the oil in medium sauté pan then stir in the onions. Cook over medium heat until transparent. Add the mince. Cook until lightly browned and crumbly.

Soak the bread in half the milk, squeeze out excess milk and mash with a fork – don’t toss out the squeezed-out milk! Pour it back into remaining milk and set aside.

Add the soaked bread, curry, sugar, salt, pepper, turmeric, vinegar, raisins and chutney to the beef. Spoon the mixture into a greased baking dish and place bay leaves on top. Bake for 50-60 minutes.

Beat the eggs with the remaining milk and pour over the beef mixture approximately 25-30 minutes before the end of the baking time.

Serve with steamed rice (traditionally yellow!) and extra chutney.