More to boebotie than ‘a minced curry dish’

Boebotie Serves 4 INGREDIENTS:

2 slices white bread (preferably two days old) 30ml cooking oil 1 large chopped onion 2ml ground cloves 1 teaspoon crushed garlic salt to taste (approx 5ml) 10ml curry powder 5ml turmeric 500g minced lamb or beef 1 egg 20ml lemon juice 30ml sugar 6 bay leaves For the topping: 2 large eggs 300ml milk METHOD: Preheat oven to 180ºC. Pour cold water to cover the bread and set aside to soak. Meanwhile, fry onions in oil until they are soft and starting to colour, 10 minutes. Add cloves, garlic, salt, curry powder, 2 of the bay leaves and turmeric and simmer for 5 minutes, adding 30ml water if necessary. In a separate bowl combine the minced meat with the onion mixture, eggs, lemon juice and sugar. Squeeze the water from the bread and mix until well blended. Tip into an oval ovenproof dish (23 x 33cm and about 5-6cm deep). Press the mixture down well and smooth the top. You can make this and chill one day ahead. For the topping, beat the milk and eggs, then pour over the meat. Top with the remaining bay leaves and bake for 35-40 minutes until the topping is set and starting to turn golden. Serve with almond yellow rice and mango chutney.

Variations: - Add a couple of 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.

Salwaa Smith – Cape Malay Cooking & Other Delights