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Smoking Chimney

Recipes from a working kitchen · Cape Town

Bobotie with Yellow Rice

By Marna Ross Updated 12 August 2026 4.78 from 40 ratings South African
This Bobotie and Yellow rice recipe I dedicate to my dad. He really loves Bobotie together with Japie se Gunsteling as dessert. A very South-African meal. So dad, this special bobotie and yellow rice recipe is just for you, with love. During my days at Augusta Kleinbosch Guest Farm in the Cape Winelands, I used to cook bobotie and yellow rice for my hiking groups. Because we were set for day 2, I decided to cook something the other Guest house chefs would not consider and to make it a traditional meal to represent the old Farm. This recipe I have slightly changed myself from wherever I got the recipe from in the first place. Use a good quality of beef mince for this recipe- it will make it less fatty. I personally prefer Spar's mince. As condiments, chutney, and sliced bananas goes very well on the side to this bobotie and yellow rice recipe. I also like to add something with pumpkin or butternut such as South-African Pumpkin Tart, pumpkin fritters or ‘Pampoen poffers.’ This bobotie and yellow rice recipe is a perfect choice for a Sunday cooked meal or a winter warmer. You can make it in advance for the flavour to enhance... and you will have happy faces!
Traditional South African baked savoury minced beef Bobotie served with bright yellow turmeric rice.
Prep 20 min
Cook 20 min
Total 40 min
Serves 4

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Ingredients

Bobotie

  • 500 g beef mince, of good quality
  • 1 onion, finely chopped
  • 3 Tablespoons medium curry powder
  • 2 Tablespoons ground tumeric
  • ½ cup apricot jam
  • ½ cup chutney
  • 50 g raisins or sultanas
  • ¼ cup blanched almonds, OPTIONAL
  • ¼ cup milk
  • 2 slices white bread, crusts removed
  • 2 bay leaves, to discard at a later stage
  • 5 eggs
  • ¼ cup cream

Yellow Rice

  • 1 cup rice
  • 2 teaspoons tumeric
  • 1-2 pinches of salt
  • 3 Tablespoons of brown sugar
  • 1 Tablespoon butter
  • 50g raisins or sultanas

Method

Bobotie

  1. Fry the onion till light and glossy

  2. Add the beef mince and cook further, using a fork to take away all lumps from the beef

  3. Add the curry and tumeric spices and cook for a few minutes

  4. Add the apricot jam and chutney and reduce heat

  5. Mix the milk to the bread crumbs, the bread will absorb the milk and add to the bobotie

  6. Add bay leaves for flavour, but discard later when the bobotie goes into the baking dish

  7. If you are using the optional blanched almonds, you can add them now.Add the raisins too

  8. Cook the bobotie a few minutes more until it taste good and season with salt and pepper if you feel it needs more seasoning

  9. Transfer the bobotie into the suitable baking dish of your choice

Egg Topping

  1. Whisk the eggs and cream together

  2. Pour over the bobotie. It should be a thin layer and it is okay to still see the bobotie meat underneath

Assembling

  1. Place a few bay leaves for decoration and bake in a preheated oven at 180° Celsius for about 15-20 minutes or longer until the egg is set and cooked

Yellow Rice

  1. Boil a pot of water and add the salt and turmeric into the water

  2. Once the tumeric water is about to boil, add the rice and cook the rice until tender

  3. Strain and add the butter, brown sugar and raisins when the rice is still warm

  4. Serve with sliced banana and chutney on the side

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