Lentil Bobotie

[picture source]

Bobotie is a traditional South African dish, and one of my firm favourites. Since ditching the meat habit, I have been experimenting with converting some of my favourite meals in such a way that the carnivores in the house will still enjoy it. This vegetarian version of my time-tested Bobotie recipe has quickly become a favourite in our household. Preparation time: 1 hour Baking time: 40 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 cup lentils, uncooked
  
• 1T crushed garlic
  
• 1T crushed ginger
  
• 1-2 large onions
  
• 1 slice of bread (if pre-sliced bread is used, use 2 slices)
  
• ¼ cup milk/soy milk – enough to soak the bread
  
• 1 can coconut milk
  
• 2 T mild curry powder
  
• 1 T turmeric
  
• 2 T lemon juice or vinegar
  
• 2 T chutney
  
• 2 T sugar
  
• salt and pepper to taste
  
• ¼ cup almonds
  
• ¼ cup raisins
  
• 4-6 bay or lemon leaves

Preparation:
Preheat the oven to 180ºC (356ºF)

1. Boil the lentils until soft – about 45 minutes. Tip: boil without salt to cook soft.
   
2. In the mean time, fry the onions in a little bit of olive oil until soft. Add the crushed garlic and ginger – do not allow the garlic to burn. Stir in the cooked lentils.
   
3. Soak the bread in the milk. squeeze out the milk and mash the bread.
   
4. Add the lemon juice, chutney, sugar, one egg, the milk used for soaking bread, curry, tumeric, salt and pepper to the mashed bread, mix well.
   
5. Add the bread mixture to the lentils, mix well.
   
6. Add the almonds and the raisins, mix well.
   
7. Spoon mixture into a greased oven dish. roll up the leaves and stick them in into the mixture.
   
8. Bake for about 45 minutes.
   
9. Mix the coconut milk with the other egg. pour this mixture over the mixture about 20-30 minutes before the baking time is over.

Serve on a bed of yellow rice with chutney and bananas.