Bobotie & yellow rice

That day I was really hungry and wanted some meat, something new, that would surprise me. I remembered a nice picture of beef dish from South Africa, have found it on the internet and checked a list of the ingredients. I had all of them at home so I decided to go ahead with my first bobotie!

I could not find South African chutney in my local delicatessen so I used Indian mango chutney, which I think was not too bad with bobotie. Actually I think it went together very smoothly. Also when discussing the recipe on Good Food I have received a message from girl called Karen (cheers!), who use to live in South Africa. She has send me a yellow rice recipe which was a perfect accompaniment for my bobotie. Like she said "It is a bit rich but what the hell". I tell you: it is great and if you are making a bobotie you must go for it too. I have changed the method slightly though.

After I had my bobotie, which was so delicious that I am going to make it again I read that in South Africa they serve it with thing called blatjang - kind of a fruit relish that is made from apricots, onions, sugar, vinegar and spices and combines a variety of taste - sweet, hot, fruity, and tangy. I will definitely make it next time when cooking bobotie and this lovely yellow rice.


Bobotie

Serves 3

500g minced beef, preferably low fat
stale white bread roll
2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
2 tbsp butter or ghee
approx. 2.5cm piece of fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped
tsp ground cumin
tsp sweet paprika
tsp curry powder
tbsp red wine vinegar
tbsp Worcestershire sauce
tbsp tomato puree
2 tbsp raisins
2 tbsp dried apricots, cut into thin strips
2 eggs
approx. 150 ml milk
salt
pepper

Preheat the oven to 200 C.

Soak the bread roll in the milk, then squeeze excess of milk, make sure you save all the milk, and set the bread roll aside. Add the eggs into the milk, season with salt and pepper and mix well. Set aside for later.

Fry the garlic and ginger in a pan with the butter for 2 minutes. Next add the beef, stir well, crushing the mince into fine grains until it changes colour to brown.

Next add Worcestershire sauce, bread roll, vinegar, tomato puree, raisins, apricots, cumin, paprika, curry, some salt and pepper and stir well.

Place the meat into an ovenproof dish and pour the egg and milk mixture over the meat. Bake for about 30 minutes, until the top is set and golden.

Remove from the oven, set aside for few minutes and cut into servings. Serve with chutney and yellow rice.


Yellow rice

750 ml boiling water
250ml rice
30g butter
1 tbsp sugar
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp salt
1 stick cinnamon
125ml seedless raisins

Fry the rice with turmeric in a pan with butter until all grains are covered in fat. Next add sugar, salt, cinnamon and water and keep over a heat until it reaches boiling point, then cover and boil until the rice is cooked nearly dry. Add the raisins to rice and stir lightly with a fork and finalise cooking over low heat until dry. Watch out for burn.


All there is left to say is: Smaaklike ete! *

* bon appetite!