Bobotie - South African Cape Malay Casserole

Total Time: 2 hrs 30 mins Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 2 hrs

Ingredients

• Servings: 6
• 1 cup 1% low-fat milk
• 2 slices white bread, 3/4 inch thick
• 1 1/2 lbs lean ground beef
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon mild to medium heat curry powder
• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon vinegar
• 1/4 cup seedless raisin
• 1 apple, peeled and diced
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 2/3 cup water
• 1 (7/8 ounce) packet brown gravy mix
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 1/2 cups 1% low-fat milk (use the milk from the bread soaking)
• 3 eggs
• 1 pinch salt
• ground nutmeg
• 4 bay leaves
• 2 cups parboiled white rice
• salt
• 1/8 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1/2 cup toasted slivered almonds
• sliced banana
• finely chopped tomato, and
• finely chopped onion, mixed together
• peaches or mango chutney
• sliced canned beets
• grated coconut
• lime pickle (patak's)

Recipe

• 1 soak the bread in the cup of milk, set aside.
• 2 in a large, non-stick skillet, brown the ground beef.
• 3 add the onions, garlic, curry powder and turmeric and cook until the onions are soft.
• 4 add sugar, vinegar, raisins, apple, salt and pepper.
• 5 pour in water and gravy mixture and cook gently until it starts to thicken.
• 6 remove from heat and cool slightly.
• 7 gently squeeze excess milk from the bread (add the milk to the custard topping) and tear apart into chunks.
• 8 fold into meat mixture together with the beaten egg.
• 9 place the meat mixture into a greased 9 x 9" casserole dish and bake at 350°f for 15 minutes.
• 10 remove from oven and cool completely.
• 11 prepare custard topping.
• 12 for the custard topping: beat together the milk, eggs and salt.
• 13 gently pour over the cooled meat mixture.
• 14 sprinkle with nutmeg and place bay leaves on top.
• 15 return casserole to oven until the top is set- about 20 to 25 minutes.
• 16 serve warm (not hot or better still, room temperature) alongside yellow rice and sambals on the side.
• 17 cook rice in the usual manner adding turmeric and salt to the water.
• 18 drain and fluff up, add almonds.
• 19 place the sambals in small serving dishes and allow guests to help themselves.