Bobotie Recipe: An easy and tasty ethnic dish

I am not normally a fan of curry or spicy food, but this was so mild that it simply added flavor.

When cooking this dish, I had used a cover, however, this was keeping in too much of the liquid, so I let it boil down a bit after the initial 30 minutes. I used a 1/4 cup of tomato juice and did not need to add any more to thin the sauce.

This smelled so good that I was tempted to have some for supper before serving it at a party the next day! Luckily, I managed to restrain myself. The guests at the party thanked me!

Babotie

2 pounds ground beef or 1 pound ground beef and 1 pound ground pork
2 onions, chopped
8 tomatoes, peeled (*see tip below) or 1 can (16 ounces) tomatoes
1-1/2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons curry powder
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
salt, to taste
2 firm bananas, sliced
1 apple, peeled, cored, and diced
1 tablespoon apricot jam, or 4 apricots, peeled and sliced
1/2 cup slivered almonds
1/4 to 1/2 cup tomato juice

In a large skillet, brown the beef over medium heat, the drain off the fat. Add the remaining ingredients except the tomato juice and simmer gently, stirring frequently, for 30 minutes. The sauce may be thick. Add 1/4 cup of tomato juice or more to thin, if desired.

Makes 8 servings.

*How to Peel and Seed a Tomato

• Bring a pot of water to a rolling boil. Stick a fork into the stem end of a tomato. Immerse the tomato fully in the water and hold it there for 5 seconds. Plunge the tomato immediately into ice-cold water for 3 to 5 seconds. With one hand, hold the fork with the tomato on it. With the other, slash the tomato skin with a sharp knife’s blade, and peel the tomato.
• To seed the tomato, remove it from the fork, cut it in half crosswise (on its equator, not from the stem to the bottom), and scoop out the seeds with a small spoon.