Vegetarian Bobotie Food

BOBOTIE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Pour cold water over the bread and set aside to soak.
• Meanwhile, fry the onions in the butter, stirring regularly for 10 mins until they are soft and starting to colour. Add the garlic and beef and stir well, crushing the mince into fine grains until it changes colour. Stir in the curry paste, herbs, spices, chutney, sultanas and 2 of the bay leaves with 1 tsp salt and plenty of ground black pepper.
• Cover and simmer for 10 mins. Squeeze the water from the bread, then beat into the meat mixture 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 1 day ahead.
• For the topping, beat the milk and eggs with seasoning, then pour over the meat. Top with the remaining bay leaves and bake for 35-40 mins until the topping is set and starting to turn golden.

BEST BOBOTIE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
• Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the onions in the hot oil until soft. Break the ground beef into the skillet and cook until brown.
• Place the milk in a shallow dish. Soak the bread in the milk. Squeeze the excess milk from the bread. Set the milk aside. Add the bread to the beef mixture. Stir in the raisins, apricot jam, chutney, curry powder, salt, and black pepper. Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish.
• Bake in the preheated oven 1 hour.
• While the bobotie bakes, whisk together the reserved milk, egg, and a pinch of salt. Pour over top of the dish. Lay the bay leaf onto the top of the milk mixture.
• Return the bobotie to the oven until the top is golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove bay leaf before serving.

VEGETARIAN BOBOTIE

Steps:

• Rinse lentils until water runs clear.
• Cover lentils with water and pre-cook for 30min (you may need to top the water up from time to time).
• Drain lentils.
• Preheat oven to 150C.
• Saute onion and tomato.
• Add curry, tumeric, salt and pepper.
• Cook for 1-2 minutes.
• Add raisins, almonds, chutney, onion and tomato to lentils.
• Mix and place in baking dish.
• Shake up topping ingredients and pour over lentils.
• Place in oven and bake for 1-1/2 hours (egg topping should have risen all the way to the middle)
• Please note:.
• I spice my bobotie mildy and use a slightly sweet sultana chutney - one preference found in the Cape. Some people make theirs hotter and use Mrs. Ball's Original Chutney, which is very tasty and is less sweet. I recommend you experiment, but remember, the dish should be spicy as in flavoursome, not as in burn-your-mouth.
• Also, adding a bit more diced onion will add more texture to the lentils.

MACADAMIA NUT BOBOTIE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 180°C.
• Sauté the onions in the oil/butter mixture.
• Cover with a greaseproof paper circle as well as a lid.
• Cook very slowly for about 20 minutes.
• Add the garlic, carrots and ginger and cook under the paper for a further 10 minutes.
• Add all the spices and seasoning ingredients.
• Turn up the temperature and stir-fry the nuts and chickpeas.
• Soak the bread in the stock, mash it with a fork and add to the mixture.
• Place mixture into an oven-proof dish.
• Beat the topping ingredients together and pour over bobotie.
• Bake at 180°C for 30 minutes until set and golden brown.