Bobotie is one of South African’s traditional dishes, a fragrant mix between a curry and a meatloaf, topped with an egg custard. A wonderful meal mid-week or to feed a crowd
Marissa: www.marissa.co
Recipe type: Mains
Cuisine: South African
Servings: 4
Ingredients
1 thick slice white bread
250ml milk or non-dairy milk
350g Quorn
2 tablespoons sunflower oil
1 medium onion, peeled and finely chopped
125ml seedless raisins (optional)
125ml blanched almonds
15ml smooth apricot jam
3 tablespoons fruit chutney
2 tablespoons lemon juice
5ml chopped mixed dried herbs
2 level tablespoons curry powder
5ml turmeric
salt to taste
Egg custard
1 large egg
reserved milk from soaked bread
4 bay leaves
A salad of sliced tomatoes, onions and cucumbers.
Mrs Balls chutney (available from most supermarkets).
Bread rolls for children to make a bobotie burger.
Method
Heat the oven to 180 degrees.
Grease a casserole dish and set this aside.
In a bowl soak the slice of white bread in 250ml milk for 5 minutes, squeeze the milk out of the bread reserving the milk.
Mix the bread and all the remaining ingredients except the egg custard mixture into the mince.
In a frying pan, add the sunflower oil and soften the onions.
Add the reserved milk to the mince mixture and lightly brown the mince.
Spoon the mixture into a casserole dish.
Bake the mince for 20 minutes.
Remove the bobotie from the oven and top with the egg custard.
For the egg custard, beat the eggs and 125ml milk together.
Pour egg custard mince mixture over the mince.
Place the bay leaves on top of the custard.
Bake for a further 10 minutes or until the custard mixture sets.
Serve with rice with a teaspoon of turmeric added to colour it yellow and raisins and a selection of sambals for your guests to customise their bobotie.
Tomato Sambal
Cut the tomatoes in half.
Using a teaspoon scoop the seeds of the tomatoes.
If you are making and serving the sambal straight away you can skip this step, it allows the tomatoes not to release as much liquid if you need to make the sambal an hour ahead.
Cut the tomatoes into small dice and add to a bowl that can hold all the remaining ingredients.
Add all the remaining ingredients to the chopped tomatoes, stir well and serve.
Tips
For vegans and vegetarians serve a Bobotie Bowl: Use soya mince, omit the egg and soaked bread, add the spicing and make the recipe as bowl food rather than the traditional baked dish. If you want to use gluten-free bread grate or process the bread first and then soak it in the milk.
Recipe by Marissa's Recipes & Ideas at https://www.marissa.co/vegetarian-bobotie-south-african-meatloaf/