My Bobotie

This is my own version of Bobotie, South Africa’s national dish and a favorite traditional recipe with it’s origins in Cape Malay cuisine. Substituting lentils for the beef mince, I have found that this makes for a wonderful vegetarian dish. This recipe is always a huge hit with both the adults as well as the kids.

Bobotie

• 2 slices white bread
• 3/4 cup milk
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 2 onions chopped
• 2 tbsp mild or medium curry powder
• 1 kg lean beef mince (or cooked lentils)
• 2 tbsp apricot jam
• 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice/ vinegar
• 1 chilli beef stock cube (or veg cube)
• a few soft dried apricots, apples and dates diced (optional)
• 1 banana diced

Custard Topping

• 400ml milk
• 4 eggs
• 2 pinches curry powder
• 4 bay leaves

Preheat oven to 180 C. Place the bread in a bowl and cover with milk. Soak until needed
Heat the oil over a medium heat and fry the onions until soft. Add the curry powder and stir. Cook for 30 seconds stirring continuously. Add the lentils and brown, breaking up the clumps as you do this. Stir continuously while browning to prevent the curry powder from burning. When the mince is brown, add the bread, jam, lemon juice, diced fruit pieces (if you are using these) and crumbled stock cube. Mix until everything is incorporated and the stock cube has completely dissolved. Gently stir in the banana and remove from heat. Transfer the mixture to a casserole dish.

Making topping:
Beat together the milk, eggs and curry powder. Gently pour over the mince. Decorate with the bay leaves. Bake for 30-45 minutes until golden and the custard has set in the centre. Serve with yellow rice, fruit chutney and a green salad.

ENJOY and let me know what you think in the comments section!