Bobotie South African Curried Beef Casserole Recipes

BOBOTIE (SOUTH AFRICAN CURRIED MEAT CASSEROLE)

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium flame. Add the onions and sauté until translucent and just starting to brown. Add the ground beef and break it up while sautéing until cooked through and crumbly. Remove from heat, drain of any excess fat and place in a large bowl.
• Put the bread and milk in a bowl and soak for 5-10 minutes. Remove the bread and squeeze it dry, leaving squeezed milk back in the bowl and set aside.
• Preheat oven to 325°F Add the soaked bread, vinegar or lemon juice, raisins, sugar, curry powder, turmeric, salt and pepper to the bowl with the cooked meat and mix well. Taste and adjust seasonings. The meat should have a pleasantly sweet-sour flavor.
• Pour the meat mixture into a greased casserole dish and smooth out the top. Lay the bay leaves over the meat in a decorative pattern and press down lightly to make them stick. Bake uncovered for 30 minutes.
• Beat the eggs with the reserved bread-soaking milk. After the meat has baked for 30 minutes, pour the egg-milk mixture over the top of the meat and bake for another 15-20 minutes, or until the custard is set and lightly browned.
• Remove from the oven and serve hot with Recipe #456514 and mango chutney.
• VARIATIONS:.
• Add a couple tablespoons of mango chutney or apricot preserves to the meat if you like. A grated apple is also sometimes added.
• Stir a handful of toasted, slivered almonds into the meat mixture before cooking, or garnish the finished dish with toasted almonds.
• One or two beaten eggs can also be stirred into the meat mixture if you like.
• Substitute lemon leaves for the bay leaves if you can find them.
• Use ground lamb in place of the beef.

BOBOTIE - SOUTH AFRICAN CAPE MALAY CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Soak the bread in the cup of milk, set aside.
• In a large, non-stick skillet, brown the ground beef.
• Add the onions, garlic, curry powder and turmeric and cook until the onions are soft.
• Add sugar, vinegar, raisins, apple, salt and pepper.
• Pour in water and gravy mixture and cook gently until it starts to thicken.
• Remove from heat and cool slightly.
• Gently squeeze excess milk from the bread (add the milk to the custard topping) and tear apart into chunks.
• Fold into meat mixture together with the beaten egg.
• Place the meat mixture into a greased 9 x 9" casserole dish and bake at 350°F for 15 minutes.
• Remove from oven and cool completely.
• Prepare custard topping.
• For the custard topping: beat together the milk, eggs and salt.
• Gently pour over the cooled meat mixture.
• Sprinkle with nutmeg and place bay leaves on top.
• Return casserole to oven until the top is set- about 20 to 25 minutes.
• Serve warm (not hot or better still, room temperature) alongside yellow rice and sambals on the side.
• Cook rice in the usual manner adding turmeric and salt to the water.
• Drain and fluff up, add almonds.
• Place the sambals in small serving dishes and allow guests to help themselves.