Gourmet Recipe: South African Bobotie

 

This is a traditional South African recipe and date back to the 1600’s. In 1652, the Dutch East India Company of Holland established a refreshment station for its many ships sailing past the most southern tip of Africa, Table Bay to and from India. The seafarers had been awestruck by the magnificence of the mountains of the Cape Peninsula and for nearly two centuries Table Bay was used as a refreshment and repair stop by passing European ships.

In 1657, the Dutch East India Company brought slaves from the Far East to work in the vegetable gardens. Slaves from Malaysia brought with them their culinary knowledge and expertise, as well as their spices. And so started a tradition of Cape Malay dishes, born in South Africa. One of their specialties was Bobotie.

Bobotie is a Malay improvement on shepherd's pie, with a good deal of the spice cupboard mixed with the mince - cumin, coriander, turmeric, allspice, even chutney, almonds and sultanas as well as garlic and peppercorns - plus a masala that includes dried chillies, peppercorns, ground ginger, cloves, cinnamon sticks and cardamom pods, with a savoury custard instead of mashed potatoes on top.

I grew up with this dish and my grandmother and mother were experts in making this dish. Today, this is a permanent fixture on the menu in my house. I gladly share this recipe with you.

It is quick and easy to make and can be served with rice, coconut, chutney and a mixed salad.

Ingredients

·       *  3 tablespoons butter

·        * 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

·         *2 medium sized onions, coarsely cut

·        * 1 clove garlic, finely chopped

·         *2 tablespoons curry powder

·        * 1 teaspoon turmeric

·         *2 oz. (1/2 cup) almonds, shredded

·         *4 oz. (2/3 cup) sultanas or raisins

·         *1 teaspoon mixed herbs

·        * 1/2 cup lemon juice, freshly squeezed

·         *1 teaspoon salt

·      *   1 tablespoon brown sugar

·         *1 tablespoon wine vinegar

·         *2 lb. lean mincemeat, lightly browned beforehand

·      *   3 thick slices white bread

·        * 10 fl. Oz. (1 1/4 cup) milk

·        * 2 eggs, lightly beaten

·       *  1/4 teaspoon black pepper, ground

Instructions

1.    Preheat the oven to 350 ⁰F (180 ⁰C). Grease a deep pie dish with 1/2 tablespoon butter.

2.    In a small frying pan, melt the remaining butter and add the oil. When the foam subsides, add the onions and garlic and fry, over moderate heat, for about 5 minutes or until the onions are lightly browned.

3.    Remove the onions and garlic from the pan and place them in a large mixing bowl. Sprinkle the curry powder and turmeric over the mixture and add the almonds, sultanas (raisins), mixed herbs, lemon juice, salt, sugar, vinegar, pepper and meat. Mix well with a wooden spoon.

4.    Soak the bread in the milk. Squeeze the milk from the bread and mash the bread into the meat mixture together with one beaten egg. Turn the mixture into the buttered pie dish and press it down with the back of a spoon.

5.    If necessary, add a little milk to the milk squeezed from the bread to make up 6 fluid ounces (3/4 cup).

6.    Beat the remaining egg into the milk with a whisk. Pour the milk-and-egg mixture over the meat in the pie dish. Stand the pie dish in a pan of water and bake for about 1 hour, or until the top of the Bobotie is light golden brown and firm to the touch.

ENJOY!!!

 

Danie de Villiers

How to Eat Healthy

 

We are what we eat.

Cut down your consumption of red meat to reduce the chance of heart disease; and if you do eat red meat make sure it is lean and cooked by a healthy method, such as grilling.

Eat fish at least three times a week. It is a good source of protein and the oily varieties give us essential fatty acids. 

Eat at least five portions of vegetables, salads and fruit a day. One portion is an average size fruit like an orange, an apple, a pear, etc. A small glass of juice, about ⅔ cup, is a portion, but restrict juice to one glass a day. A small bowl of salad greens, tomatoes, cucumber, celery, etc. is a portion, or two tablespoons of vegetables such as peas, beans, spinach, sprouts or cauliflower. The more fruits and vegetables you eat the better.

Restrict excess fat in your diet, particularly saturated animal fats from meat and dairy products. Resist spreading butter too thickly on your bread and piling it on your vegetables. In some cooking, oil can take the place of butter. Try adding olive oil to your mashed potatoes and enjoy the flavour. Lower-fat cheeses are available, or stick to the normal ones and reduce the amount you eat. The same applies to yoghurt and cream. Low-fat and skim milk are sensible options because they are lower in fat but still contain all the valuable nutrients of full-fat milk. 

Hidden fat is the greatest enemy in prepared foods like cakes and snacks. Try to avoid these foods if possible, or read the label and try to choose lower-fat alternatives. Remember, though, that a low-fat diet is only a healthy option for those aged 5 and over - below this age a child needs easily accessible energy.

Eat more whole-grain cereals. Instead of white bread, eat whole-wheat and multigrain varieties and change to a high fibre breakfast cereal or granola. Try whole-grain pastas and brown rice.

Drink at least 8 glasses of water per day. You will feel healthier and your body will benefit. Limit tea and coffee because they contain caffeine, a stimulant that will keep your body in overdrive. 

Always taste food at the table before you add extra salt. Restrict salt in cooked dishes and try to cook vegetables without salt in the water. Too much salt can lead to high blood pressure.

Remember, eating healthily will not stop you getting some diseases but it will affect how your body deals with them. A healthy diet will help you have a healthy life.

Danie de Villiers - Freelance Writer

Women and Calcium

Calcium is a mineral that strengthens your bones and teeth, and ensures everything runs smoothly with your muscles and nerves. It's especially important for growth. Calcium can continue to add to the strength of your bones until you reach the age of 30 to 35, when peak bone mass is reached.

After this point, as a natural part of the ageing process, your bones lose their density and grow weaker. If you haven't had enough calcium in your diet prior to this, there's an increased risk that your bones won't be strong enough to cope with any weakening, which can result in the brittle bone disease, osteoporosis.

Health professionals estimate that one in three women and one in 12 men over the age of 50 suffer from osteoporosis. There's also concern that the diets of teenage girls and young women, in particular, aren't high enough in calcium. Some experts predict the future could bring an osteoporosis epidemic in women.

Of course, if your diet excludes milk and dairy products or if you can't tolerate the milk sugar lactose, then you need to look for calcium alternatives. It is recommended that both men and women get 700mg of calcium every day to ensure good health.

The good news is, if you're concerned about your weight, getting the calcium you need doesn't have to mean eating or drinking full-fat foods. There's exactly the same amount of calcium in skimmed milk as there is in whole milk. The same goes for low-fat yoghurt and reduced-fat cheese. You don't have to buy their full-fat counterparts to look after your bones.

The Benefits of Yoghurt

Not only is yoghurt delicious, but it also contains vitamins and minerals, is high in protein and can be a healthy substitute or addition to other foods. 

Benefits

Yoghurt is milk fermented by bacterial action. If has a slightly lower sugar content than the milk from which it is made, and is an excellent source of protein. This is because the protein in yoghurt is more finely divided than in milk, and therefore more easily digestible. In addition, yoghurt contains high concentrations of vitamins A and D, essential for healthy teeth, skin and bones. 

It is also a good source of the B vitamin riboflavin, a nerve strengthener, and of the bone-enriching mineral calcium. 

The often-exaggerated claims made for yoghurt stem from the action of the bacteria it contains. In the human intestinal tract, yoghurt bacteria produce lactic acid, which controls, and in some cases can destroy, putrefying bacteria

If not eliminated, these bacteria can cause discomfort, indigestion, and sometimes illness. Therefore, yoghurt is often recommended as an antidote for digestive problems. It can also be useful in combatting the effects of antibiotics, which kills off the healthy bacteria in the intestines. 

However, the main value of yoghurt is as a cheap source of protein and as a healthier alternative to other foods. It contains all the goodness of dairy produce without the drawbacks. For medical opinion has now generally concluded that excessive consumption of dairy foods is probably a major factor in heart disease. The saturated fats they contain clog up the arteries carrying blood to the heart. Yoghurt, especially the varieties made with low-fat milk, provides a good low-fat alternative to cream, butter and milk. 

Yoghurt can be substituted directly for cream of soured cream in many recipes. Try it, for example, in beef stroganoff, or instead of butter on baked potatoes and other vegetables. It also makes an excellent salad dressing, ideal for dieters because it is much lower in calories than oil. It can be added to sauces and used instead of milk on cereals or muesli. Mixed with wheat germ and /or fresh or dried fruit, it makes a good energy-giving snack or dessert, nutritionally richer than cakes and biscuits. A number of health food cookery books contain recipes for cakes and biscuits that substitute yoghurt for butter. 

Many commercial types of yoghurt contain rennet or other thickeners, and the fruit varieties very often have preservatives and added sweeteners, so if you want to be sure of getting full food value from yoghurt, the best way is to make it yourself. It is cheap and easy to make, and home preparation ensures that you always have a fresh, adequate supply. If you want to use yoghurt as an aid to a calorie-controlled diet, you should make it with low-fat dried milk instead of ordinary milk. Again, many cookery books contain a basic yoghurt recipe. 

Once you have mastered the technique, you can then go onto making yoghurt cheese - a light, creamy white cheese, using yoghurt and salt, or a low-fat cheese, using low-fat dried milk.

Healthy Food Especially for Woman

Carrots

Carrots are packed with carotenoids such as alpha-carotene and beta-carotene. Carotenes are essential to women's health, as a high-carotenoid diet has been linked to lowered risks of both breast and ovarian cancer. 

Tomatoes

Tomatoes are rich in lycopene, a pigment found in tomatoes. Lycopene may be effective in preventing breast cancer but as it is a powerful oxidant, it also can help to reduce risk of heart disease, as women are equally prone for heart disease.

 Spinach

Spinach is rich in magnesium, and this may be beneficial in reducing many of the physical symptoms of PMS; as well as a possible reduction in swelling, breast tenderness, bloating and gaining weight.

Milk

Milk is a great source of calcium, and therefore milk is not only good to counter osteoporosis, but a diet rich in calcium and vitamin D could also be beneficial in easing, or even prevent, symptoms of PMS.

Oats

Oats are rich in health-boosting nutrients. Oats are not only great for heart health, digestion and blood pressure levels, but they contain vitamin B6, which can help prevent PMS and mood swings. Another nutrient of oats is folic acid, which is important for women to consume before and during pregnancy to prevent birth defects in babies.

Health benefits of Liquorice

Taken for Granted by K.C. Davis. $0.99 from Smashwords.com
Life as a mom can be hard, especially when it seems like no one notices everything you do.