September is Heart Awareness Month and September 29 is World Heart Day.
The day is aimed at promoting preventative steps and changes in lifestyle to avoid cardiovascular events and diseases, such as heart attack, stroke, heart failure, and related conditions.
In marking this month and day, the team at Lucky Star and Heart and Stroke Foundation South Africa thought it would be a perfect opportunity to share a delicious recipe with those who have heart disease or are at risk of developing heart disease.
Lucky Star pilchard bobotie
Serves: 4
Ingredients
400g Lucky Star pilchards in sweet chilli sauce
30ml cooking oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 slices of white bread
3-4 bay leaves
1 ½ cup of milk
5ml curry powder
1tsp turmeric
1 garlic clove, crushed
3 eggs
2 tbsp lemon juice
Yellow rice, cooked
Salt and pepper to taste
Method
Preheat the oven to 180°C and grease a large ovenproof dish. Soak the bread in the milk. Heat oil in a pan and fry the onion until soft.
Add the garlic, curry powder, and turmeric and cook for a further minute, then remove from the heat and set aside.
Squeeze the excess milk from the bread. Reserve the milk to use for later. Drain and flake the pilchards with a fork, reserving the sauce.
Chef’s tips:
You can debone the pilchards if preferred, although pilchard bones are safe to eat. In a large bowl, mash the bread with a fork and add a few tablespoons of the reserved pilchard sauce and one lightly beaten egg.
Add the pilchards to the mashed bread mixture, along with the lemon juice, raisins, and fried onion mixture.
Place a layer of yellow rice at the bottom of the greased ovenproof dish. Spoon pilchard mixture over the rice layer and spread out evenly.
Beat the reserved milk and remaining 2 eggs together and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Pour the milk mixture over the bobotie and place bay leaves on top. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until golden and set.
Serve with chutney or sambal and enjoy!