South African bobotie

South African bobotie: Traditional goodness. Photo credit: Marele van Zyl.

South African bobotie – Comfort food at its best

A delicate balance of a variety of pungent spices which makes you inhale the rich aroma deeply and appreciatingly.

South African bobotie

South African bobotie: Traditional goodness. Photo credit: Marele van Zyl.

South African bobotie needs absolutely no introduction. It is a fantastic mix of flavours with fruit, curry and spices in a comforting meaty bake. This mouth-watering dish is finished off with an egg custard-like topping. It’s one delicious meal, simply irresistible.

This dish is a delicate balance of a variety of pungent spices which makes you inhale the rich aroma deeply and appreciatingly. Each bite is a savoury experience on your palate.

The traditional way of serving South African bobotie is with some yellow rice, then often with slices of banana and some pickle or chutney on the side. You can also add some green beans. Other green veggies also work well for contrast but complementary flavours.

So if you ever run out of ideas about what to prepare as a special Sunday meal, never forget this old traditional favourite. It is always a winner. Let us know in the comments of this recipe if you have tried this delightful South African bobotie recipe.

South African bobotie recipe

4 from 5 votes
Recipe by Marele van Zyl Course: MainCuisine: GlobalDifficulty: Easy
Prep time

15

minutes
Cooking time

1

hour 

20

minutes
Total time

1

hour 

35

minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon 1 butter

  • 2 medium 2 onions

  • 2 cloves 2 garlic

  • 1 large slice 1 bread

  • 1 cup 1 milk

  • 1 tablespoon 1 curry powder

  • ½ teaspoon ½ turmeric

  • ½ teaspoon ½ ground cumin

  • 680 g 680 ground beef, or ground lamb/beef or lamb mince or a mixture of both

  • 1 1 apple peeled, cored and grated

  • ¼ cup ¼ raisins

  • juice of ½ lemon

  • 1 tablespoon 1 Worcestershire sauce

  • 2 2 eggs

Method

  • Melt the butter in a large skillet/frying pan. Dice the onions and crush the garlic then add both to the pan and cook until soft, around 5 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, cut the crusts from the bread and soak it in the milk.
  • Preheat oven to 180⁰C.
  • Add the curry powder, turmeric and cumin to the onions and stir well, cook for a minute then add the ground meat/mince.
  • Cook the meat, stirring every minute or two until browned.
  • Add the apple, raisins and soaked bread to the pan – do not throw away the milk.
  • Stir the pan to mix everything in then remove from the heat. Add the lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce and one egg and mix well.
  • Pour the mixture into a casserole dish and press down flat.
  • Mix the remaining egg with the retained milk and pour over the meat mixture. Top with a bay leaf (optional).
  • Bake in the oven for around 40 – 50 minutes until the topping is set and lightly browned.

Notes

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