Every year around this time, my dad hits up a farm outside Oudtshoorn in the Klein Karoo to hunt, stocking my fridge with venison meat such as Kudu and Springbok (not the Rugby team, sadly!) The entire hunting excursion leaves me with an endless protein supply, including droewors, biltong, fillet and mince. Always appreciative of abundance, I crafted this exotic Kudu Bobotie recipe.
Pronounced ba-boor-tea, the national dish of South Africa is a delicious mixture of curried meat and fruit with a creamy golden topping. Serve alongside fluffy rice and a fresh tomato salad and don’t forget to add a dollop of Mrs. Balls chutney for that extra kick on the palate!
Exotic Kudu Bobotie
Course: MainCuisine: South AfricanDifficulty: Easy4
servings20
minutes40
minutes300
kcal1
hourTake a bite from the wild side with this exotic kudu bobotie, a traditional South African favourite made with Venison meat.
Ingredients
1kg minced Kudu meat
2 slices white bread
2 onions , chopped
25g butter
2 garlic cloves , crushed
2 tbsp madras curry paste
1 tsp dried mixed herbs
3 cloves
5 allspice berries
2 tbsp Ms Balls Chutney
tbsp sultanas
Bay leaves
- Topping
300ml full-cream milk
2 large eggs
Directions
- Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Pour cold water over the bread and set aside to soak.
- Fry the onions in the butter, stirring regularly for 10 mins until they are soft and starting to colour. Add the garlic and KUDU and stir well, crushing the mince into fine grains until it changes colour. Stir in the curry paste, herbs, spices, chutney, sultanas and 2 of the bay leaves with 1 tsp salt and plenty of ground black pepper.
- Cover and simmer for 10 mins. Squeeze the water from the bread, then beat into the meat mixture until well blended. Tip into an oval ovenproof dish (23 x 33cm and about 5-6cm deep). Press the mixture down well and smooth the top. You can make this and chill 1 day ahead.
- For the topping, beat the milk and eggs with seasoning, then pour over the meat. Top with the remaining bay leaves and bake for 35-40 mins until the topping is set and starting to turn golden.
Notes
- Pair this dish with brandy on the rocks!
