Bobotie
 Bobotie with salad and chutney | |
| Place of origin | South Africa |
|---|---|
| Main ingredients | Minced meat |
Bobotie(Afrikaans:[bəˈbuəti]) is a South African dish consisting of spicedminced meatbaked with an egg-based topping.[1]
Origin of name and recipe
[edit]Bobotie appears to be a variant ofpatinam ex lacte,a dish documented by the ancient Roman writerApiciusconsisting of layers of cooked meat, pine nuts, and seasoned with pepper,celeryseeds andasafoetida.These were cooked until the flavours had blended, when a top layer of egg and milk was added. When the latter had set, the dish was ready to be served.[2]C. Louis Leipoldt,a South African writer and gourmet, wrote that the recipe was known in Europe in the seventeenth century.[3]
The origin of the wordbobotieis contentious. The Afrikaans etymological dictionary claims that the probable origin is the Malayan wordboemboe,meaning curry spices.[4]Others think it to have originated frombobotok,[5]an Indonesian dish which consisted of totally different ingredients.[6]The first recipe for bobotie appeared in a Dutch cookbook in 1609.[verification needed][6]Afterwards, it was taken to South Africa and adopted by theCape Malaycommunity.[1]It is also made with curry powder, leaving it with a slight "tang".[7]It is often served withsambal.[8]The dish has been known in theCape of Good Hopesince the 17th century, when it was made with a mixture ofmuttonand pork.[9]
Preparation
[edit]
Today, bobotie is much more likely to be made with beef orlamb,although pork can also be used. Early recipes incorporatedginger,marjoramandlemonrind; the introduction ofcurry powderhas simplified the recipe but the basic concept remains the same. Some recipes also call for chopped onions andalmondsto be added to the mixture. Traditionally, bobotie incorporatesdried fruitlikeraisinsorsultanas.It is often garnished withbay leaves,walnuts,chutneyandbananas.[10]Although not particularly spicy, the dish incorporates a variety of flavours that can add complexity. For example, the dried fruit (usuallyapricotsand raisins or sultanas) contrasts the curry flavouring. The texture of the dish is also complex, the baked egg mixture topping complementing the milk-soaked bread which adds moisture to the dish. Bobotie is usually served with "yellow rice", which is rice cooked withturmeric.
Leipoldt's recipe
[edit]Leipoldt's recipe book published in 1933 calls for finely minced meat, breadcrumbs, milk, onions and butter and a curry sauce made with spices, sugar, lemon juice, chilli pepper and vinegar. This is baked with a topping of egg and milk.[11]
Tulleken's recipe
[edit]A 1923 recipe by Mrs S. van H. Tulleken uses mutton, almonds, bitter almond essence, onions, butter, bread, curry powder, lemon juice, eggs and sugar, baked with a custard topping of eggs and milk.[12]
Bobotie elsewhere in Africa
[edit]Bobotie recipes were transported bySouth African settlersto other parts of Africa. Today, recipes for it can be found that originated in Afrikaner-descended settler communities inBotswana,Kenya,ZambiaandZimbabwe.There is a variation that was popular among the 7,000Boersettlers who settled in theChubut RiverValley inArgentinain the early 20th century, in which the bobotie mixture is packed inside a large pumpkin, which is then baked until tender.
In culture
[edit]2008 Augusta National Champions Dinner
[edit]Bobotie was selected by2008 Mastersgolf champion and South African nativeTrevor Immelmanas the featured menu item forAugusta National's annual "Champions Dinner" in April 2009. Each year, the reigning champion at The Masters golf tournament, played every year inAugusta, Georgia,hosts the gathering and tends to create a menu featuring specialties from his home region.[13]
2014 Epcot International Food and Wine Festival
[edit]South African bobotie was one of the featured items on the menu; it is also served with turkey and mushrooms. It is listed as gluten-free. It is also on the everyday menu at the buffet restaurant Boma at Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge.[14]
See also
[edit]
- Cook and Enjoy It,a cookbook by S.J.A. de Villiers
- List of African dishes
- List of meat dishes
References
[edit]- ^ab""Bobotie" – Times Live ".Archived fromthe originalon 9 October 2012.Retrieved31 August2010.
- ^Claassens, H.W., Die Geskiedenis van Boerekos 1652-1806, unpublished D.Phil. thesis, University of Pretoria, 2003, pp. 195–6.
- ^C. Louis Leipoldt, Leipoldt's Cape Cookery, Cape Town, 1976, p. 16.
- ^Etimologiewoordeboek van Afrikaans, WAT, 2003, p. 58.
- ^Theodora Hurustiati (10 November 2013)."Bobotie's melting pot".The Jakarta Post.Archivedfrom the original on 18 May 2015.Retrieved12 May2015.
- ^abSmit, S., and Fulton, M. (1983) The South African Encyclopedia of Food and Cookery. Cape Town; C Struik.
- ^""Bobotie Is South African Favorite" – The Hartford Courant ".Archived fromthe originalon 3 November 2012.Retrieved5 July2017.
- ^"Sampling South Africa Cooks Meld Far Flung Cuisines to Create a Flavor for a Nation" – Richmond Times[permanent dead link]
- ^""Bobotie, South Africa's Indigenous Cuisine" – New York Times ".Archivedfrom the original on 24 September 2021.Retrieved6 February2017.
- ^"Bobotie, a local and international winner" – Independent Online
- ^Leipoldt, C. Louis, Kos vir die Kenner, Human & Rossouw, 2011, p. 253.
- ^Tulleken, S. van H., The Practical Cookery Book for South Africa, 22nd edition, 1947, p. 133.
- ^""On the Menu: The Champions Dinner at The Masters" – About.com ".Archived fromthe originalon 11 April 2009.Retrieved13 April2009.
- ^"AFRICA – 2014 EPCOT INTERNATIONAL FOOD & WINE FESTIVAL MENU".GuideWDW.com. Archived fromthe originalon 14 October 2014.Retrieved27 September2014.
