South African Bobotie with Yellow Rice and Apricot Chutney

Steps

1. Step 1

   Heat the oven to 350°F. Tear the bread into a bowl, pour over 3/4 cup of the milk, and leave it to soak while you cook the meat.

   5 min · 350°F

   • 2 slices white sandwich bread, crusts left on
   • 3/4 cup whole milk
2. Step 2

   Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring now and then, until soft and golden, about 8 minutes. Stir in the garlic, ginger, curry powder, turmeric, coriander and cumin and cook 1 minute more, until fragrant.

   9 min

   • 2 tbsp butter
   • 2 yellow onions
   • 3 cloves garlic
   • 1 tbsp fresh ginger
   • 1 tbsp mild curry powder
   • 1 tsp ground turmeric
   • 1 tsp ground coriander
   • 1/2 tsp ground cumin
3. Step 3

   Add the ground beef, breaking it up with a spoon, and cook until no longer pink, about 8 minutes. Tip off any excess fat.

   8 min

   • 2 lb ground beef (80/20)
4. Step 4

   Squeeze the soaked bread with your hands to wring out the milk, saving that milk in the bowl. Crumble the bread into the meat along with the apricot jam, chutney, vinegar, raisins, almonds, salt and pepper. Stir well and cook 2 minutes. Taste and add more salt if it needs it.

   4 min

   • 2 slices white sandwich bread, crusts left on
   • 3 tbsp apricot jam
   • 2 tbsp fruit chutney or mango chutney
   • 2 tbsp white wine vinegar or lemon juice
   • 1/2 cup raisins
   • 1/3 cup slivered almonds
   • 1 tsp salt
   • 1/2 tsp black pepper
5. Step 5

   Pack the meat mixture into a 9x13 inch baking dish and smooth the top flat with the back of a spoon.

   2 min

6. Step 6

   Add the remaining 1/2 cup milk to the reserved soaking milk, then whisk in the eggs and the remaining 1/2 tsp salt. Pour this custard evenly over the meat and tuck the bay leaves into the surface.

   3 min

   • 1/2 cup whole milk
   • 1/2 tsp salt
   • 3 eggs
   • 4 bay leaves
7. Step 7

   Bake, uncovered, until the custard is set and golden brown on top, 35 to 40 minutes. Let it rest 10 minutes before serving.

   45 min, hands-off · 350°F

8. Step 8

   While the bobotie bakes, make the rice: combine the rice, water, butter, turmeric, cinnamon stick, raisins, sugar and salt in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then cover, lower the heat to the lowest setting and cook 15 minutes. Take off the heat and let it stand, covered, 10 minutes, then fluff with a fork and remove the cinnamon stick.

   30 min

   • 1 1/2 cups basmati or long-grain white rice
   • 2 1/4 cups water
   • 1 tbsp butter
   • 1 tsp ground turmeric
   • 1 cinnamon stick
   • 1/3 cup raisins
   • 1 tsp sugar
   • 3/4 tsp salt
9. Step 9

   Make the chutney: combine the apricots, water, vinegar, brown sugar, shallot, ginger, pepper flakes and salt in a small saucepan. Simmer over medium-low heat, stirring now and then, until thick and jammy, 15 to 20 minutes. Add a splash of water if it gets too stiff. Cool slightly; it thickens more as it sits.

   20 min

   • 1 cup dried apricots
   • 1/2 cup water
   • 1/4 cup cider vinegar
   • 1/4 cup light brown sugar
   • 1 small shallot
   • 1/2 tsp grated fresh ginger
   • 1 pinch red pepper flakes
   • 1 pinch salt
10. Step 10

    Discard the bay leaves, cut the bobotie into squares and serve over the yellow rice with a spoonful of apricot chutney alongside.

Where it’s from

Written by AI from an idea

Version 1, saved Oct 5, 2026