Ingredients:
2 slices white bread (preferably a couple of days old)
30 ml cooking oil
1 large chopped onion
2 ml ground cloves
1 teaspoon crushed garlic
salt to taste (approx 5ml)
10ml curry powder
5ml turmeric
500g minced meat (lamb or beef)
1 egg
20ml lemon juice
30ml sugar
6 bay leaves
For the topping:
2 large eggs
300ml milk
Method:
Preheat oven to 180C. Pour cold water to cover over the bread and set aside to soak.
Meanwhile fry onions in oil until they are soft and starting to colour, 10 minutes. Add cloves, garlic, salt, curry powder, 2 of the bay leaves and turmeric and simmer for 5 minutes adding 30 ml water if necessary.
In a separate bowl combine the minced meat with the onion mixture, eggs, lemon juice and sugar. Squeeze the water from the bread and mix until well blended.
Tip into an oval ovenproof dish (23 x 33cm and about 5-6cm deep). Press the mixture down well and smooth the top. You can make this and chill 1 day ahead.
For the topping, beat the milk and eggs, then pour over the meat. Top with the remaining bay leaves and bake for 35-40 mins until the topping is set and starting to turn golden.
Serve with almond yellow rice and mango chutney,
Variations:
- Add a couple tablespoons of mango chutney or apricot preserves to the meat if you like. A grated apple is also sometimes added.
- Stir a handful of toasted, slivered almonds into the meat mixture before cooking, or garnish the finished dish with toasted almonds.
- One or two beaten eggs can also be stirred into the meat mixture if you like.
- Substitute lemon leaves for the bay leaves if you can find them.