bobotie, anyone?

[MsEVP]

Has anyone made bobotie? I`ve always fancied trying South Africa`s answer to Shepherd`s Pie so last week, following Lucia van der Post`s best recipe, I did so, even though my mind was rebelling at the thought of putting milk and eggs into lamb.

Outcome = Ycccchhhh! Threw most of it away in the end. Never again!

[CheekyChops]

I've eaten it (and it was gorgeous) but never actually tried making it myself.

Have you had it before or was it just your own attempt at making it that you didn't like?

[mrs_overall]

Try this version.
I've given the quantities to make the dish for ONE person, so if you don't like it you haven't wasted much money.

4oz(110g) minced beef
1 small onion, chopped
Half a small cooking apple, chopped
half an ounce (50g) butter
10 whole almonds, chopped
half teaspoon hot curry powder
half teaspoon brown sugar
1 dessertspoon of lemon juice
1 large egg
2.5 fluid oz (60ml) milk
half an ounce (10g) bread without crusts
salt & pepper

Melf the butter in a pan, add the onion & apple & cook til soft. Add the chopped almonds and mince. Cook until the ince is browned. Add the curry powder, sugar, lemon juice and salt & pepper. Cook for 5 mins. Meanwhile, whisk the egg & milk in a bowl then pour half of it onto the bread & let is soak for 5 mins. When soft, beat it well & add to the mince mixture. Transfer everything to a 1 pint casserole dish and pour the rest of the egg/milk mix over the top.
Bake for 45 mins, gas mark 2/300F/150C.

I don't know what went wrong with the dish you made, but this version (from an old Delia Smith cookbook) is lovely.

[MsEVP]

Hi Cheeky: No, never had it before. Just read about it and followed the recipe to the letter. Even tho I cooked it 15 mins longer it still ended up being too soft and liquidy (which I didn`t think it should be)

Thanks Mrs Overall. I`ve a few Delia`s books but never seen bobotie in them. However, your recipe does look exactly like the one I followed. But I will give it another go, using Delia`s, then, as you say, I won`t be wasting much if I have to throw it away!

Mrs Overall, should it be completely dry all the way through?

Thanks, both.

[kira000]

This is another recipe for your to compare against.
And it has a photo to look at!

I have had it, and no, it is not completely dry- it does have a sauce to it. The topping however should be set and not runny.

[kira000]

Ooops!:
http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/5109/boboti e

[mrs_overall]

Hi.
No, it shouldn't be dry. When you tip the minced beef mix into the casserole dish, you are also tipping in the melted butter, mince juice etc.
It's not a runny dish, but it shouldn't be dry.
As kira says, the top should be set and not runny.

[MsEVP]

Thanks Mrs O, and Kira I will check this new recipe out.