Bobotie

Method

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1. Soak the bread in the 150 ml of milk for 10 minutes, then squeeze it out, reserving the milk, and crumble it.

   Mark done Start 10 min timer

2. Fry the onions in the oil for 10 minutes until soft and golden, then add the garlic for 1 minute.

   Mark done Start 10 min timer

3. Add the curry powder, turmeric, coriander and cloves and fry 90 seconds until fragrant.

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4. Raise the heat, add the mince, and brown well for 10 minutes, breaking it up.

   Mark done Start 10 min timer

5. Stir in the soaked bread, apricots, raisins, both chutneys, vinegar, almonds and salt.

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6. Add the reserved soaking milk and simmer 10 minutes until thick and no longer wet.

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7. Taste and adjust — it should be gently sweet, tangy and fragrant rather than hot.

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8. Spread into a 25 cm baking dish, level the surface, and cool for 20 minutes.

   Mark done Start 20 min timer

9. Whisk the custard eggs, milk, salt and turmeric and pour over the cooled filling. Push the bay leaves in upright so they stand proud.

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10. Bake at 180°C / 350°F for 35 to 40 minutes until the custard is set and golden. Rest 10 minutes before serving.

    Mark done Start 35 min timer

Chef’s Tips

• Cool the filling before the custard goes on, or it will curdle rather than set.
• Mild curry powder is correct. Bobotie is aromatic and fruity, not fiery.
• The bay leaves are traditional and perfume the custard as it bakes; remove them before eating.

Common Substitutions & Variations

• An eighth of a teaspoon of garlic powder per clove is the usual stand-in when you are out of fresh garlic — it will not caramelise the same way, but it carries the flavour.
• A dry vermouth keeps for longer than an open bottle of white wine and is the closer swap than a random white left in the fridge; for an alcohol-free version, use the same amount of stock with a squeeze of lemon.

Pairing Suggestions

• Yellow rice with raisins
• Sliced banana, coconut and chutney as sambals
• A South African Pinotage or Chenin Blanc

Storage & Reheating

Refrigerate up to 3 days and freeze 2 months. Reheat covered at 170°C / 340°F for 25 minutes.

Common questions

Nutritional Highlights

Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.