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–+ servings
South African Bobotie

South African Bobotie

SpiceBreeze
Bobotie is a beloved South African dish, blending influences from Malaysian and Dutch cuisines. This creamy, spiced meatloaf offers a perfect balance of sweet, sour, and spicy flavors. For a quicker twist, it can be prepared as a stir-fry in a pan. The signature spice blend includes dried mango, known as amchoor, adding a tangy note. Pair it with a rich apricot-ginger chutney for an unforgettable taste experience!
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Hands-on Time 30 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine South African
Servings 3

Ingredients
  

Shopping list

  • 1.5 lbs ground lamb or beef or mixed
  • 1/2 cup ground almonds
  • 2 medium onions chopped
  • 3 large eggs
  • 3/4 cup milk
  • 1/4 cup lime or lemon juice
  • 1 tbsp white vinegar
  • 2-5 tsp sugar
  • butter & oil
  • salt & pepper

Suggested Sides

  • Cooked rice, opt. colored with turmeric 
  • Apricot-ginger-chutney (recipe in the blog) 
  • Salad of your choice 
  • Steamed root vegetables 

Culinary Spice Kit

  • Pouch [1] Amchoor, coriander, onion, chili, cumin, turmeric, garlic, curry leaves, fenugreek, cilantro leaves, ginger, yellow mustard, cinnamon, cardamom, black pepper
  • Pouch [2] Lemon verbena, nutmeg. turmeric

Instructions
 

Meat

  • In a PAN, heat 2 tbsp butter.
  • Fry onions over medium-low heat until golden.
  • Add meat, salt to taste, and Bobotie [1] spices.
  • Stir-fry meat until it is crumbled and cooked.
  • In a BOWL, whisk 1 egg and mix it with a 1/4 cup of milk.
  • Add this egg-milk, sugar, and almonds to the meat. Mix well.
  • Stir in vinegar and lime juice. Adjust salt.
  • Fill into a non-sticking greased BAKING DISH (8 x 8).

Finishing

  • Preheat the OVEN to 350°F.
  • In a BOWL, whisk 2 eggs.
  • Mix it with 1/2 cup of milk, salt to taste, and Bobotie [2] spices.
  • Pour mixture over the meat.
  • Bake in the OVEN for 30-40 minutes until the topping is no longer liquid and turned slightly brown.

Serve

  • Serve bobotie with rice, and optional chutney and/ or vegetables or salad of your choice.
  • Enjoy!

Notes

▪ Substitute meat with lentils (tips in the blog).
▪ Substitute almonds with other nuts.
▪ Add 1/4 cup chopped almonds and/ or 1 oz raisins to the meat or rice.
▪ Press 3-4 fresh or dried leaves (bay, curry, or basil) into the topping before baking or add later as garnish.