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Easy South African bobotie in a white dish on a grey background.

Easy South African Bobotie

South Africa's national dish and its best-kept secret - A spicy, curried mince dish cooked with sultanas and covered with a savoury egg custard topping, as served by Oprah for Thanksgiving.
5 from 170 votes
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Course: Main Course
Cuisine: South African
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 695kcal
Author: Maretha Corbett

Equipment

  • Large saucepan or frying pan
  • Oven dish, circa 30cm x 20cm

Ingredients

For the curried mince

  • 3 slices bread, crusts removed - This is based on 3 slices of shop-cut bread. If you are cutting the bread yourself, 1 x slice of about 3cm thickness will do. You can use white or brown bread
  • 350 millilitre milk
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 2 teaspoons butter
  • 2 sliced onions
  • 2 garlic cloves - or 1 teaspoon garlic paste
  • 2 tablespoons mild curry powder
  • 2 tablespoons fruit chutney, heaped
  • 2 tablespoons apricot jam
  • 1 tablespoon Worcester Sauce
  • 1 teaspoon turmeric
  • 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
  • 1 kilogram beef mince
  • 100 millilitre sultanas
  • 1.5 teaspoons salt
  • 1 beef stock cube, crumbled
  • 1 egg, lightly beaten

For the savoury custard topping

  • 2 eggs
  • 1 pinch salt
  • 1 pinch turmeric
  • 6 bay leaves
Metric - US Customary

Instructions

Prepare the bread

  • Roughly tear the crustless bread into pieces, place it in a bowl and cover with the milk. Leave this to soak while you get on with the rest of the Bobotie.
    3 slices bread, crusts removed, 350 millilitre milk

Prepare the curried mince

  • Preheat the oven to 180C/356F (160C fan/320F fan).
  • Heat the oil and butter in a large saucepan or frying pan and add the chopped onions and garlic. Gently fry over medium heat until the onions are soft and translucent. About 4-5 minutes.
    2 tablespoons vegetable oil, 2 teaspoons butter, 2 sliced onions, 2 garlic cloves
  • Next, add the curry powder, chutney, apricot jam, Worcester sauce, turmeric and red wine vinegar to the onion mixture.
    Gently fry over low heat, stirring frequently for 1-2 minutes until everything is heated through and smelling fragrant.
    2 tablespoons mild curry powder, 2 tablespoons fruit chutney, heaped, 2 tablespoons apricot jam, 1 tablespoon Worcester Sauce, 1 teaspoon turmeric, 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
  • Revisit the bread that's now been soaking in the milk for a few minutes. Drain the bread from the milk and roughly mash it with a fork.
    Keep the remaining milk, we will use it for the savoury egg custard topping later.
  • Add the mince, soaked bread, sultanas and salt to the spicy onion mixture in the pan. Then, crumble the beef stock cube into the mixture.
    Give it a good mix and gently fry, whilst stirring, until the mince has lost its pinkness.
    Tip: A wooden spoon works great for breaking up the mince.
    1 kilogram beef mince, 100 millilitre sultanas, 1.5 teaspoons salt, 1 beef stock cube, crumbled
  • Remove the Bobotie mixture from the heat and stir in the beaten egg.
    1 egg, lightly beaten
  • Spoon the meat mixture into a greased oven dish of roughly 30cm x 20cm and smooth the top.

Prepare the savoury custard topping

  • Break the two remaining eggs into the leftover milk together with a pinch of salt and a pinch of turmeric. Whisk thoroughly until the egg yolks are fully incorporated and evenly blended.
    2 eggs, 1 pinch salt, 1 pinch turmeric
  • Gently pour the egg mixture evenly over the top of the meat.
    Place the bay leaves on top. Try to space them out equally in a pattern of your choice.
    6 bay leaves
  • Bake on the middle shelf of the oven for 50 minutes to 1 hour.
    The cooking time is a good guide, but ensure you have a bit of a crispy edge on the sides, that's the best bit of a well-baked Bobotie! Add on a few extra minutes if necessary.

**Nutritional data disclaimer**

Please keep in mind that the nutritional information provided below is calculated by a third party and we cannot guarantee the accuracy. We try our best to give you the most accurate information, but we do not take responsibility for errors that may be present. Also, the nutritional value of the recipe may change depending on the exact brands and products used. We recommend that you consult with a qualified healthcare professional or registered dietitian for personalised advice on your dietary needs.

Nutrition

Calories: 695kcal | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 36g | Fat: 44g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 17g | Trans Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 211mg | Sodium: 1046mg | Potassium: 849mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 22g | Vitamin A: 299IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 169mg | Iron: 6mg