South African Bobotie with Fragrant Yellow Rice

Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare the bread and rice

   Preheat the oven to 180 °C. Tear the bread into a bowl, pour over 100 ml of the milk, and leave to soak for 10 minutes. Rinse the rice in cold water and drain. Finely chop the onion.

   
2. 2

   Brown the spiced beef

   Heat the oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Cook the onion for 5 minutes, until softened and lightly golden around the edges. Add the curry powder and 2 g of turmeric, stir for 30 seconds, then add the beef. Cook for 7–8 minutes, breaking it into small pieces with a wooden spoon, until it is no longer pink and is lightly browned.

   
3. 3

   Finish the bobotie mixture

   Mash the soaked bread with a fork and stir it into the beef along with the remaining 80 ml of milk. Add the raisins, mango chutney, lemon juice, 3 g of salt, and black pepper. Stir for 3 minutes, until the mixture thickens, then remove from the heat. Transfer it to a baking dish of approximately 1.5 l capacity and level the surface.

   
4. 4

   Add the egg topping and bake

   Beat the eggs in a bowl. Pour them evenly over the beef mixture and press the two bay leaves into the surface. Bake for 30–35 minutes at 180 °C, until the egg topping is set and lightly golden around the edges. Leave the bobotie to rest for 5 minutes after taking it out of the oven.

   
5. 5

   Cook the yellow rice and serve

   While the bobotie bakes, put the rice, 450 ml of water, 25 g of raisins, 1 g of turmeric, the cinnamon stick, and 3 g of salt in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer over low heat for 12–15 minutes, until the water has been absorbed. Remove from the heat and leave covered for 10 minutes. Remove the cinnamon, fluff the rice with a fork, and serve with portions of bobotie.