Bobotie stole Australian chef’s heart

INLSA

MasterChef South Africa 2011 winner Deena Naidoo, left, with MasterChef Australia 2010 winner Adam Liaw. Photo: Paballo Thekiso

The first time MasterChef Australia winner Adam Liaw sampled bobotie, it was love at first taste, and it’s now become a recipe that he regularly cooks back home in Adelaide.

“When I was in Joburg last year, I tried bobotie. I immediately went over to the chef and asked him if he’d be kind enough to give me the recipe. I just loved the taste,” he said this week in Joburg during his second visit to the country.

Liaw is in the country for The Good Food & Wine Show, and will be a judge at the LG Life Tastes Good Championship, one of SA’s most popular cooking competitions. He will also do several cooking demonstrations at the show with MasterChef Australia judge and culinary guru George Calombaris.

Liaw said he was delighted to be back.

“The food is wonderful and the people are extremely friendly, it’s just a great place to be.

“Although I’ll be very busy with the food show, I hope to take out some time to do sightseeing. I have never been to Cape Town or Durban, so I would love to visit those cities.

“I also am dying to visit a lion park, so that’s definitely on my list this time round.”

Liaw has tucked into many traditional South African dishes, such as “walkie-talkies” (chicken feet), springbok, ostrich, malva pudding and milk tart. But, he says, bobotie remains his favourite.

Asked what his favourite meal of all time was, Liaw says he loves Hainanese chicken rice, something he ate growing up with his grandmother.

“That is my comfort food. I can eat Hainanese chicken rice just about any time. It’s a simple but extremely delicious dish,” he said.

It’s been two years since Liaw was crowned winner of MasterChef Australia, after defeating student Callum Hann in the final. Since then, he has hardly had time to breathe. He travels around the world cooking, he has his own cooking show, he recently released his own cookbook, and was also a judge on MasterChef Malaysia.

“I’ve been very busy since 2010, and hardly had any free time.

“But I’m not complaining. I’m doing what I love. MasterChef has opened many doors for me and I have been loving life.”

Growing up, Liaw ate lots of Malay food and Chinese food, which he still enjoys today.

“I wouldn’t say I have a favourite cuisine, but I do love Malay and Chinese food. I also don’t have a signature dish as I am always making new things.

“These days I enjoy keeping my meals simple. I just don’t have any time to make complicated dishes with hundreds of elements.”

Sunday Independent