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Bobotie is a well-known South African dish consisting of spiced meat baked with an egg-based topping. It appears to be a variant of patinam ex lacte which comprises layers of cooked meat, pine nuts, and seasoned with pepper, celery seeds, and asafoetida. It is very delicious when hot.
This dish is often regarded as South Africa’s national dish. It derives from the Cape Malay community, which gave birth to several dishes that are today regarded staples of South African cuisine, such as sosaties and bredie.
Bobotie (pronounced ba-bo-tea) is cooked with well-seasoned ground beef with a creamy, luscious topping. It’s rich, flavorful, spicy, aromatic, and zingy all at the same time. A hearty dinner bursting with African flavors!
Origin of Bobotie
Its origins in South Africa can be traced back to the 17th century. Dutch traders established a camp at what is now Cape Town as a halting point on their way back and forth to Indonesia.
Spices, cooking skills, and recipes were brought by the traders. While the specifics are unclear, some believe the original recipe originated in Indonesia and was altered to accommodate the available components.
Is Bobotie Healthy?
This dish has a delicious flavor with a mix of turmeric spice, and sometimes almonds. Eating bobotie could aid in illness prevention, boosting immunity in the body, and reducing inflammation. It also contains iron and protein, which helps in the proper functioning of your organs and muscles.
How To Prepare Bobotie
This dish is typically prepared with beef or lamb, though pig can also be used. Early versions called for ginger, marjoram, and lemon rind; the addition of curry powder simplified the preparation, but the core concept remained the same. In other versions, chopped onions and almonds are also added to the mixture.
Traditionally, dried fruit such as raisins or sultanas is used in boboties. It’s frequently topped with bay leaves, walnuts, chutney, and bananas. Although the meal is not especially hot, it contains a range of ingredients that can provide complexity. The dried fruit, for example, contrasts the curry flavoring.
The dish’s texture is complex, with the baked egg mixture topping complementing the milk-soaked bread, which adds wetness. Bobotie is typically eaten with “yellow rice,” which is turmeric-infused rice.
Bobotie (Beef Pie)
Ingredients
- eggs
- turmeric
- whole milk
- bay leaves
- silvered almonds
- butter
- bread slice soaked in milk
- raisins
- onions
- cooked beef chopped
- lemon juice
- apple peeled and diced
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a sauce pan.
- Add the onions for 5 minutes, then add the apple dice and cook for another minute.
- Add the chopped beef and combine.
- Squeeze out the excess milk from the bread slices, then tear up and add to pot.
- Add the curry powder, raisins, almonds, lemon juice, egg and turmeric and stir well.
- Place mixture in a greased baking dish and place bay leaves vertically in the casserole, bake for 40 minutes, then remove from the oven
- Mix together the egg and milk, then pour it over the bobotie and bake for another 15 minutes.
- Remove the bay leaves before serving.
