Bobotie is sweet, mild and warming rather than spicy-hot. Cooks mix the minced meat (usually beef or lamb) with onions, breadcrumbs and a little bit of curry powder, then add sweet things like raisins, apple, and a spoonful of chutney. The whole thing is baked until the egg topping turns golden.
Many South African families have their own bobotie recipe, passed down between grandparents, parents and children. Some add almonds. Some add a bay leaf sticking up out of the top, like a flag. Schools and community kitchens often make bobotie in giant trays to feed lots of people at once.
The dish has its roots in the Cape Malay community - people whose ancestors travelled to South Africa from Southeast Asia hundreds of years ago. They brought their cooking with them: turmeric, cinnamon, and a love of mixing sweet and savoury in one dish.
Bobotie is so loved in South Africa that it was once voted the country's national dish. It is the kind of food that fills a kitchen with warm smells and makes everyone want to sit down at the table together.