A South African Feast
Although I have never been, I have always had a bit of a love affair with South Africa. Back in my singing days I almost had the opportunity to play Carmen in Johannesburg, but unfortunately it fell through. At the time I did a lot of research and was thrilled at the thought of living in such a diverse and historic place, if only for a month or two. Going to an international school meant I had several South African friends as well. They have the most beautiful accent, a soft lilting melody that just makes me smile.
Given my obsession passion for food, this was obviously a big part of my research. I remember loving the sound of Bobotie, a dish that every South African has their own version of, perhaps a bit like our own Shepherd's Pie. I used to read a lot of Wilbur Smith and this dish would come up in his books as well. I love the history of the dish. I can just imagine the first European settlers discovering wonderful new flavours and spices in Africa and coming up with this unique way to use them. The dish itself is similar to a Greek pastichio, in that it is topped off with a light custard and baked until golden brown. It is lightly spiced with curry powder and incorporates the sweetness of dried fruit and chutney. Having just whipped up a fresh batch of mango chutney I was delighted to try it out in this dish!
I was reading BBC Good Food the other day when once again I came upon a recipe for Bobotie, indeed several recipes for a South African feast. I am always looking for interesting way to cook ground beef, so it was an obvious one to add to the repertoire. I followed the recipe loosely, tweaking a bit here and there for the kids taste. I also cut it in half, search their website for the original recipe, but check the internet for thousands of varieties! I am hoping Robert, busy though he is with moving, will also weigh in on this post!
For the rice, I followed the recipe exactly, although I did need to add more water than the recipe called for. It also took longer to cook.
The verdict? Absolutely delicious! Really different flavours, sweet and savoury, but enjoyed by all. The kids could not get enough of either the rice or the beef, a pleasant surprise indeed! This would serve about four adults.
Ingredients:- 1 lb ground beef (or lamb if you prefer)
- 2 slices white bread
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1 large onion, dices
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 heaping tbsp curry powder
- pinch dried thyme
- pinch dried oregano
- pinch dried basil
- pinch dried chives
- big pinch ground allspice
- pinch ground cloves
- 3 tbsp mango (or peach) chutney
- 3 heaping tbsp sultanas (golden raisins)
- 6 bay leaves
- 150 ml milk
- 1 egg
Fry onions in some butter until soft and starting to colour. Add garlic and beef, crushing beef into fine grains until it changes colour. Stir in curry powder, spices, herbs, two bay leaves, chutney and sultanas. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and simmer for ten minutes.
Squeeze milk from bread and beat into meat mixture until well blended. Press the mixture into a casserole dish and smooth the top.
Whisk egg and milk and pour over the meat. Lay remaining bay leaves on top. Bake for 20-30min at 200C/400F until golden brown.
Ingredients:- 12oz / 350g basmati rice
- 2oz / 50g butter
- 1 heaped tbsp caster sugar
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon or 1/2 cinnamon stick
- 6 green cardamom pods, shelled and seeds crushed
- just under 1 tsp tumeric
- 5 tbsp raisins
- 1 tsp salt
- 500 ml water
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