Bobotie with Yellow Rice

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                            FOOD FUNNY
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Here's a news bulletin from Rosemary Zwick:
 
Researchers at Yale University say that chocolate may be good for
pregnant women. However, they say it is not good for women who just look pregnant.

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                            TODAY'S RECIPE
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If South Africa had a national dish, this would be it. As with all
popular dishes with a long history, every cook has her own secrets as to
its preparation, so use this recipe as your starting point rather than gospel.

Bobotie with Yellow Rice

3 Tbs (45 ml) butter
1 onion, thinly sliced
1 apple, peeled, cored, and diced
2 lbs (900 g) chopped or ground beef
2 sliced bread, soaked in milk
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup (125 ml) raisins
1/4 cup (60 ml) slivered almonds
2 Tbs (30 ml) lemon juice
2 Tbs (30 ml) curry powder
1/2 tsp (2 ml) turmeric
6 bay (laurel) leaves
1 egg whisked with 1 cup (250 ml) milk
1 recipe yellow rice with raisins (see below)

Heat the butter in a skillet over moderate heat and saute the onion and
apple until tender but not brown, about 5 minutes. Add the beef and cook
until browned. Squeeze the milk from the bread, discard the milk, and
add the bread to the meat mixture, stirring and mashing it to mix it
well. Remove from the heat and add the beaten egg, raisins, almonds,
lemon juice, curry powder, and turmeric, stirring to combine. Place the
mixture in a greased baking dish and place the bay leaves vertically in
the mixture. Bake in a preheated 325F (165C) oven for 40 minutes. Pour
the egg and milk mixture over the meat mixture and bake an additional 15
minutes. Remove the bay leaves before serving.
Serves 4 to 6.

Yellow Rice with Raisins

4 cups (1 L) chicken stock or water
2 1/2 cups (625 ml) long-grain rice
1/2 cups (125 ml) raisins or golden raisins (sultanas)
1 Tbs (15 ml) honey or sugar
1 tsp (5 ml) turmeric
1 cinnamon stick
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
2 Tbs (30 ml) butter (optional)

Bring the stock to a boil in a pot over high heat. Add the rice,
raisins, honey, turmeric, cinnamon stick, salt, and pepper and return to
the boil. Stir, reduce the heat to very low, and simmer tightly covered
for 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and let sit tightly covered for 10
minutes. Discard the cinnamon stick, fluff the rice with a fork, and stir in the butter if desired.
Serves 4 to 6.
Received on Wed Sep 2 19:11:35 2009