Recipes

Bobotie is a sweet-savoury South African meat dish with a baked custard topping that is satisfying to make and eat! I love this dish because it offers high protein (meat, milk, eggs!) without being simply a chunk of meat on the plate.

The ingredients are simply mixed all together and the custard mixture poured on top, so making this dish is pretty straightforward. The sultanas, apple and bread add fibre, and the chutney adds depth to the flavours.

I’ve crafted this recipe to make 2 serves but it is easy enough to double or quadruple it to make a star main for a family dinner or gathering (see my photo).

For 2 serves

Ingredients

Meat mixture:

• 1 small onion, finely chopped

• ½ apple, grated

• 250g lamb mince

• 1T white vinegar

• ½ t turmeric

• 1T curry powder

• 1 slice bread, softened with milk, and crumbled

• 25g sultanas, soaked in boiling water, then drained

• ¼ C chutney of your choice

• Salt and pepper to taste

Custard topping:

• ¼ C whole milk (can make with cream for extra calories if you’d like)

• 1 egg

• Pinch salt

• Bay leaves for decoration

• 15g almond flakes

Method:

1. Heat your oven to 180°C. Choose two dishes: a baking dish for the Bobotie and a larger roasting pan for the Bobotie to sit in while baking in the oven. 

2. In a large bowl, combine the chopped onion, grated apple, lamb mince, vinegar, turmeric, curry powder, soaked and crumbled bread, sultanas and chutney. Mix together until well blended then transfer the mixture to the baking dish.

3. Place the baking dish into the roasting pan. Fill the pan with hot water until it is halfway up the side of the baking dish.

4. Prepare the custard topping by blending the milk, egg and pinch of salt together. Pour over top of the meat mixture.

5. Sprinkle the flaked almonds on top of the custard mixture and place bay leaves on top

6. Bake in the oven for an hour

7. Remove from the oven and let sit in the hot water for a little or until ready to serve.