60 min
Traditional South African Bobotie
Recipe GLPR3e3cfc27ef37a5
A classic South African spiced lamb casserole with aromatic curry flavors, studded with dried fruit and nuts, topped with a creamy custard crust. Served alongside fluffy white rice, this warming dish balances sweet, savory, and warm spice notes for an unforgettable meal.
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Ingredients
2 tablespoon olive oil
2 large onions, finely chopped
2 large garlic cloves, crushed
1 tablespoon curry powder
1 slice day-old white bread
1 cup whole milk
2 eggs
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
½ teaspoon turmeric
1 lemon juice
12 blanched almonds, chopped
½ cup raisins
4 lemon rind strips
2 pound ground lamb
butter, for greasing
cooked white rice, for serving
Directions
Heat the olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the chopped onions and crushed garlic, stirring frequently until they become soft and lightly golden, about 5 minutes.
Stir in the curry powder and cook gently for approximately 2 minutes, allowing the spice to bloom and infuse into the onion mixture. Remove from heat.
In a separate bowl, soak the slice of day-old white bread in the milk until fully absorbed. Gently squeeze the excess milk back into a measuring cup and set the moistened bread aside, keeping the reserved milk for later.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooked onion-curry mixture with the squeezed bread, ground lamb, sugar, salt, black pepper, turmeric, lemon juice, almonds, raisins, and lemon rind. Mix all ingredients together thoroughly until well combined.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly butter a large baking dish. Transfer the lamb mixture into the prepared baking dish and press it down evenly to create a compact layer.
Bake the bobotie uncovered at 350°F for 1 hour.
Remove the baking dish from the oven. In a small bowl, beat the remaining egg with 1/8 cup of the reserved milk until well combined. Carefully pour this custard mixture evenly over the surface of the cooked meat.
Return to the oven and bake for an additional 15 to 20 minutes, until the custard topping is set and turns golden brown.
Allow the bobotie to rest briefly, then serve warm with cooked white rice on the side.
