In brief
- Bobotie: a spiced minced beef bake with curry, topped with an egg custard
- Origin: South Africa, Cape Malay cuisine
- Essential ingredients: minced beef, curry, turmeric, bread, milk, eggs, dried fruit
- South Africa's national dish, served with rice for family meals
Origins and cultural history of bobotie
Bobotie is considered South Africa's national dish. It has its origins in Cape Malay cuisine, developed in Cape Town by the descendants of enslaved people and political exiles brought from Southeast Asia in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. Its name is thought to come from the Indonesian word “bobotok” or “botok”, which refers to a coconut-based dish traditionally wrapped in a banana leaf.
The spices (curry, turmeric), the bread soaked in milk, the dried fruit and the egg custard that browns in the oven form the structure of the dish, passed down from generation to generation in South African families.
What are the essential ingredients of bobotie
Bobotie combines spiced minced meat and dried fruit, under an egg custard that browns in the oven. Its ingredients can be found in specialist African grocery stores, including NKOSI.
- Minced beef
- Onion and garlic
- Curry powder and turmeric
- Stale bread and milk
- Eggs
- Dried apricots and raisins
- Flaked almonds
What to know about bobotie
Bobotie is a gratin of minced beef spiced with curry and turmeric, mixed with stale bread soaked in milk, dried apricots, raisins and flaked almonds. It is topped with an egg custard that browns in the oven. The national dish of South Africa, from Cape Malay cooking, it is served at family meals with rice, sometimes coloured with turmeric, and a little fruit chutney.
Frequently asked questions about bobotie
Why does bobotie contain dried fruit and jam or chutney?
This is the hallmark of Cape Malay cuisine, which combines spices, dried fruit and a touch of sweetness with meat. Dried apricots and raisins add softness, while apricot jam or fruit chutney balance the dish between sweet and savoury.
What is bobotie traditionally served with?
With rice, sometimes tinted with turmeric to make yellow rice, and a touch of fruit chutney on the side. It is a single dish, served in its own baking dish.
Where to find the ingredients for bobotie in France?
NKOSI sells the curry powder and turmeric for bobotie, and ships them from the Paris area within 24 to 72 working hours, to mainland France (2 to 3 working days) and to ten European countries. The minimum order is 39 €: in France, delivery to a pickup point is then free, and home delivery is free from 69 €.
