About this Dish
South Africa's national dish — spiced minced beef baked with an egg custard topping. A Cape Malay dish reflecting the influence of enslaved people from Malaysia, Indonesia and India who shaped the food culture of the Cape. Fragrant with turmeric, curry spices, apricot jam and bay leaves. Served with yellow rice and chutney. A dish of extraordinary historical depth.
IngredientsServes 4
🥩Beef mince, 800g
🧅Large onions, 2 finely chopped
🍞White bread, 2 thick slices
🥛Full-cream milk, 300ml (divided)
🥚Large eggs, 3
🫙Apricot jam, 2 tablespoons
🍋White wine vinegar, 2 tablespoons
🌿Curry powder, 2 tablespoons
💛Turmeric, 1 teaspoon
🌿Fresh bay leaves, 4-6
Method
1
Preheat your oven to 180°C. Soak the bread slices in half the milk for about 5 minutes, then squeeze out the excess milk and set the soaked bread aside — keep the milk too.2
Fry the onions in a generous knob of butter over medium heat until soft and golden, about 8 minutes. Add the curry powder and turmeric and stir for 1 minute until fragrant.3
Add the beef mince to the pan and cook, breaking it up well, until browned all over. Stir in the apricot jam, vinegar, a good pinch of salt, and some black pepper.4
Crumble the soaked bread into the mince mixture and stir everything together well. Taste and adjust seasoning — it should be warmly spiced with a gentle sweet-sour balance. Spoon the mixture into a greased baking dish and press it down flat.5
Whisk together the eggs and remaining milk with a pinch of turmeric and salt to make your custard. Pour this gently over the top of the mince, then tuck the bay leaves into the surface so they poke up slightly.6
Bake uncovered for 35–40 minutes until the custard topping is set, lightly golden and just starting to puff. The bay leaves will perfume the whole dish as it bakes.7
Let the bobotie rest for 5 minutes before serving. Bring it to the table with yellow rice cooked with turmeric and a handful of raisins, and a good dollop of fruit chutney on the side.User Reviews
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