Bobotie

Did You Know?

• Bobotie recipes were transported by South African settlers to Botswana, Kenya, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
• A variation among Boer settlers in Argentina's Chubut River Valley packs the bobotie mixture inside a large pumpkin and bakes it until tender.
• The dish is often served with sambal.

Origin of name and recipe

Bobotie appears to be a variant of patinam ex lacte, a dish documented by the ancient Roman writer Apicius, which consisted of layers of cooked meat and pine nuts seasoned with pepper, celery seeds and asafoetida, topped with egg and milk. C. Louis Leipoldt noted the recipe was known in Europe in the seventeenth century. The word's origin is disputed: the Afrikaans etymological dictionary suggests the Malayan word boemboe, meaning curry spices, while others point to bobotok, an Indonesian dish of different ingredients. The first recipe appeared in a Dutch cookbook in 1609, after which it was taken to South Africa and adopted by the Cape Malay community. It has been known at the Cape of Good Hope since the 17th century, originally made with mutton and pork.

Preparation

Today bobotie is usually made with beef or lamb, though pork can also be used. Early recipes included ginger, marjoram and lemon rind; the addition of curry powder has simplified the recipe. Some versions add chopped onions and almonds. Dried fruit such as raisins or sultanas is traditional, and the dish is often garnished with bay leaves, walnuts, chutney and bananas.

The dried fruit contrasts the curry flavouring, while the baked egg topping complements milk-soaked bread that adds moisture. Bobotie is typically served with yellow rice, cooked with turmeric. Leipoldt's 1933 recipe called for finely minced meat, breadcrumbs, milk, onions, butter, and a curry sauce with spices, sugar, lemon juice, chilli pepper and vinegar, baked with an egg and milk topping. A 1923 recipe by Mrs S. van H. Tulleken used mutton, almonds, bitter almond essence, onions, butter, bread, curry powder, lemon juice, eggs and sugar, with a custard topping.

In culture

Bobotie, a South African dish, was chosen for the 2009 Champions Dinner at Augusta National by Trevor Immelman, the 2008 Masters winner. This gluten-free meal includes turkey and mushrooms. It is also a regular offering at Boma, the buffet restaurant in Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge.