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Meat, Africa and overseas

Bobotie with yellow rice

Bobotie is South Africa's national dish, a curried ground beef bake with dried apricots, topped with a golden egg custard and served with turmeric yellow rice. For 4 people, it takes 65 minutes and a medium skill level, at €3.20 per serving. The key to success is packing the meat down firmly before adding the custard, so the bake holds together when sliced.

Tonight, South Africa's national dish, bobotie, a curried beef and apricot bake topped with a golden baked custard, served with yellow rice.

Bobotie with yellow rice
Total time
1 h 05
Difficulty
Medium
Cost per person
€3.20
Calories per person
540 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Fall, Winter
The kids
They generally like it

Bobotie tends to surprise people the first time around. The ground beef, cooked with mild curry powder and softened dried apricots, has that sweet and savory balance typical of Cape Malay cooking, shaped by centuries of spice trade with Asia. The topping, a thin layer of eggs and milk, sets in the oven into a golden custard, almost like a light savory flan resting on the meat.

This is a good dish for a Sunday or any evening when you have a bit of time, since it goes through two rounds of cooking. Kids tend to like it, the curry stays mild and the apricots soften the taste of the beef. Serve it with the turmeric yellow rice to get the full plate, the way it's eaten in South Africa.

The ingredients

4 people

Butcher

  • Ground beef 600 g

Bakery

  • Sandwich bread 2 slices

Dairy

  • Milk 30 cl
  • Eggs 2

Fruits and vegetables

  • Onions 2
  • Garlic 2 cloves

Pantry

  • Dried apricots 60 g
  • Long grain riceoften in the pantry 280 g
  • Mild curry powderoften in the pantry 2 tbsp
  • Turmericoften in the pantry 2 tsp
  • Bay leavesoften in the pantry 3
  • Vinegaroften in the pantry 1 tbsp
  • Sunflower oiloften in the pantry 2 tbsp
  • Saltoften in the pantry 2 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Allergens Gluten, Lactose, Eggs

The step by step recipe

  1. Soak the bread in 10 cl of milk, then press it out and crumble it. Cut the apricots into small pieces.

    Keep the soaking milk, it will go into the custard.

  2. Cook the sliced onions and garlic in the oil, add the ground beef and brown it. 10 min

    Break up the meat into small pieces so it cooks evenly.

  3. Add the curry powder, crumbled bread, apricots, vinegar, salt and pepper, mix, then pack everything firmly into a baking dish. 5 min

    Press down firmly with the back of a spoon so the bobotie holds together when sliced.

  4. Beat the eggs with the remaining milk, season lightly with salt, pour over the meat, push in the bay leaves and bake at 180°C. 30 min

    The top should be set and golden, a knife inserted in the center should come out clean.

  5. Meanwhile, cook the rice with the turmeric in salted water, then drain it and serve alongside a portion of bobotie. 12 min

    Turmeric gives the yellow color, 2 teaspoons are enough for a nicely golden rice.

Our tips to get it right

  • Mince the onion and garlic finely so they melt completely into the meat, without chunks that slow down cooking.
  • Let the bobotie rest for 5 minutes out of the oven before cutting it, the custard finishes setting and the slices hold together better.
  • If your baking dish isn't wide enough, spread the meat in a thinner layer, the custard cooks more evenly over a wide surface than over a thick mound.

The variations

  • Swap the ground beef for ground lamb, closer to the traditional recipe and with a stronger flavor.
  • For a vegetarian version, replace the meat with cooked red lentils and a handful of chopped nuts, the curry and apricots do the rest.
  • To save time, make the meat base the night before, then just add the custard and bake it the next evening.

What to serve it with

  • Turmeric yellow rice
  • Mango chutney
  • Rooibos tea or fresh lemonade

Storage

Bobotie keeps for 2 to 3 days in the fridge in a sealed container. It freezes well once cooked, reheat it in the oven at 150°C so the top doesn't dry out. The yellow rice keeps for 2 days and reheats well in a pan with a splash of water.

Questions about this dish

Can you make bobotie ahead of time?

Yes, you can prepare the meat base the day before and keep it in the fridge. Add the egg custard and bake it only right before serving, for a nicely golden top.

Can you substitute the dried apricots?

You can use raisins or chopped prunes instead, they bring the same sweet touch. Avoid fruits that are too juicy, since they can make the meat mixture soggy.

Why push bay leaves into the custard?

That's the visual and flavor signature of bobotie, the bay leaves gently scent the top while it bakes. You can remove them before serving if you prefer.

Does bobotie freeze well?

Yes, once cooked and cooled, it freezes very well in an airtight container. Reheat it in the oven at 150°C to keep the top soft, rather than in the microwave.

How long does it take to make a bobotie with yellow rice?

Count 1 h 05 in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “medium”.

How many calories are in a bobotie with yellow rice?

About 540 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a bobotie with yellow rice cost?

About €3.20 per serving, or €12.80 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains gluten, lactose, eggs. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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