Food Around the World - South African Babotie

This dish is very popular in South Africa. It is typical of Cape Malay cooking which combines sweet and savoury flavours in one dish. It is baked in the oven with an egg custard and served with rice or lentils. It reminds me of my childhood holidays.

2 slices white bread
60ml milk
1t oil
1 onion finely chopped
1t curry powder
500g beef mince
1 cup vegetable stock
2T tomato paste
1T raisins
8 dried apricots finely chopped
1T apricot jam
2 bay leaves
2T peach chutney
¼ t each cinnamon, nutmeg and ground ginger
For the topping
2 eggs
1 cup of milk
salt and pepper to taste.

Preheat the oven to 180C.
Break the bread into pieces and place in a bowl. Pour over the 60ml of milk and allow to soak.
Heat the oil in a pan. Add the onion and fry until soft. Add the mince and cook until brown. Add the curry powder, stock, tomato paste and bay leaves. Simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in the raisins, apricots, jam, chutney, bread and spices, and mix well. Place in a casserole dish.
Whisk the eggs and milk. Season to taste. Pour over the mince and bake for 25 minutes or until golden brown. Garnish with bay leaves and serve with lentils or rice cooked with turmeric.