From the Kitchen: South African Bobotie (low carb)
My little culinary trip around the world continues!
After trying dishes from Israel and Georgia, I decided my next stop would be South Africa with a dish I had never made—or even tasted—before: Bobotie (pronounced roughly buh-BOO-tee).
Bobotie is a traditional South African dish made with warmly spiced ground meat topped with a savory egg-and-milk custard and baked until golden. Traditional versions often include bread, dried fruit or chutney, giving the meat a distinctive combination of savory, sweet and slightly tangy flavors.
Since I try to keep my meals lower in carbohydrates, I left out the bread and dried fruit. But I didn't want to lose that sweet-and-savory character that makes Bobotie special.
And here's where a happy accident came in.
The base recipe called for 1-2 teaspoons of sugar. I apparently thought if said “tablespoons” and added two. 😂
Fortunately, I tasted the beef mixture before adding the custard—and it was superb. Absolutely no regrets. The two tablespoons stayed!
Once the egg custard was baked over the top, I knew this one was going into my recipe collection.
It is excellent!
South African Bobotie
Serves 6–8
Ingredients
For the beef mixture
2 lbs ground beef
1 large onion, finely diced
1 Tbsp garlic powder
2 Tbsp curry powder
1 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp ground coriander
½ tsp ground cumin
½ tsp ground cinnamon
1½ tsp salt
½ tsp black pepper
2 Tbsp tomato paste
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
2 Tbsp granulated sugar
½ cup water
2 bay leaves
For the custard topping
4 large eggs
1 cup whole milk
¼ tsp salt
Black pepper, to taste
2 bay leaves
Directions
Preheat oven to 350°F.
In a 10-inch cast-iron skillet, brown the ground beef and diced onion together over medium heat, breaking the beef into crumbles as it cooks. Drain excess grease if necessary.
Sprinkle the garlic powder, curry powder, turmeric, coriander, cumin and cinnamon over the beef and onions. Stir well and cook for about 30 seconds, allowing the spices to become fragrant.
Stir in the salt, black pepper, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, apple cider vinegar, sugar and water.
Tuck two bay leaves into the beef mixture and simmer uncovered for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the liquid has reduced and the mixture is moist but not soupy.
Remove and discard the bay leaves.
Spread the beef evenly in the skillet and gently level the surface.
In a bowl, whisk together the eggs, whole milk, salt and black pepper. Pour evenly over the beef mixture.
Place two bay leaves on top.
Bake uncovered at 350°F for approximately 25–35 minutes, or until the custard is set and beginning to turn golden. The exact baking time may vary depending on the size and depth of your skillet.
Allow the Bobotie to rest for 5–10 minutes before serving. Remove the bay leaves before eating.
From My Kitchen
This recipe is my lower-carb take on traditional Bobotie. Leaving out the bread and dried fruit certainly makes it different from versions that have been served in South Africa for generations, but I wanted to preserve the flavors that intrigued me in the first place.
And I'm so glad I did.
The curry and warm spices give the beef incredible flavor, the little bit of vinegar balances the sweetness, and the mild custard topping brings everything together.
It is unlike anything I've cooked before—which is exactly why I'm enjoying this little trip around the world from my own kitchen.
Who knows where we'll go next? 🌎
❤️ From the Kitchen. From the Farm. From the Heart.
