South African Recipe: Bobotie

One of my favorite things about traveling is trying new foods.  Bobotie is a recipe I have every time I travel to South Africa.  I just love it!  Bobotie has a slightly sweet taste with a light curry flavor and an egg topping.  In 1954, Bobotie was declared the National Dish of South Africa by the United Nations Women's Organization.

Everywhere I travel, I try to purchase a cookbook with the local recipes in them.  Then I can relive the trip through the smells and tastes of their dishes.  The Bobotie recipe I am sharing, did not come from a cookbook but from a friend who was kind enough to prepare the dish for us then give me her family recipe. 

This recipe has more ingredients than I typically use, but it is still simple and easy to make.

Bobotie

1 small onion, chopped

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 1/2 pounds lean ground beef                    

1 teaspoon crushed garlic

1 teaspoon turmeric

1 to 2 teaspoons curry powder

6 slices white bread, soaked in milk

2 teaspoons lemon juice

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

Topping

2 eggs, beaten

pinch of salt

4 bay leaves 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In large skillet, saute onion in vegetable oil over medium high heat until softened.  Add ground beef.  Cook until browned.  Add garlic, turmeric, curry powder (add a little at a time, tasting as you go, until you achieve the desired flavor), and salt to taste. Add bread, lemon juice, and brown sugar.  Mix well.  Cook until heated through.  Pour into a 2 quart casserole dish. In small bowl, beat together egg and pinch of salt.  Pour over top of meat mixture.  Arrange bay leaves on top. Bake 10 minutes or until the egg is set and top is slightly browned.

On Tuesday, I will post more pictures from my trip to South Africa.