Bunny chow

This recipe does not contain any bunnies. ‘Bunny’ is derived from the word ‘bania’, a name given to Indian merchants who sold take-away curry in Durban. Essentially the dish is curry of your choice (usually mutton, chicken or bean) spooned into a hollowed-out section of a loaf of bread – basically an edible curry lunchbox.

Bunny chow. Credit: Toby Murphy

• serves

  4

• prep

  10 minutes

• cook

  45 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

• ¼ cup ghee (or 50 g unsalted butter with a splash of oil)
• 1 large onion, thinly slic
• 1 bunch coriander, stalks chopped, leaves picked
• 1 handful (about 10) fresh curry leaves
• 3 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 tbsp chopped or grated ginger
• 1 tbsp mild curry powder
• 2 tsp garam masala
• 1 tsp chilli powder (if you want a little heat)
• 6 large chicken thigh fillets, cut into 3cm pieces
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 3 tomatoes, cut into 3 cm chunks
• 400 g can tomatoes
• 3 desiree potatoes, peeled and cut into 3 cm chunks
• 1 loaf white bread (not sliced)

Carrot sambal

• 1 red onion, thinly sliced
• 1 large or 2 small carrots, coarsely grated
• 2 long green chillies, seeds removed, sliced
• 2 tbsp apple cider or other vinegar
• Pinch of salt

Instructions

1. Heat ghee (or oil and butter) in a saucepan or deep fry pan over medium heat, then add the onion with the coriander stalks and curry leaves and cook for 3-4 minutes until softened. Add the garlic and ginger and cook for 2-3 minutes until fragrant. Add the curry powder, garam masala and chilli powder and cook for 30 seconds.
2. Add chicken to the pan and continue to cook for 4-5 minutes so it starts to caramelise a bit, then add the tomato paste as well as the fresh and canned tomatoes and cook for another couple of minutes. Add 1 cup of water and the potato then bring to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes until potato is very tender and sauce has reduced. Add a little water if needed. Season to taste.
3. For the sambal, combine all the ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.
4. Taste the curry and season to taste. You can add some more of the spice if you want a bit more of a kick or even some chilli powder for some heat.
5. Divide the loaf into 4 then scoop out the filling, leaving the base of each piece covered, so the bread acts like a bowl. Serve the curry in the bread bowls, topped with coriander, with the sambal and extra bread on the side.

Notes

• A few years back when writing a curry story for Delicious magazine, I spent a whole day circling the city in search of the best ‘bunny’. I think I sampled eight or nine different bunny chow that day – and the thing that was consistent is that each of the curries was big in flavour – but not pretense. This is my version, which I perfected with the chefs at the famed Oyster Box Hotel just north of Durban.
• Traditionally you don’t serve this with yoghurt, but at your house it’s your rules, so you can serve alongside if you want to balance out the heat a little. Also, the curry base is great and you can use it with rice too.

This is an edited extract from Food Trail South Africa by Warren Mendes 

(Brio Books). Photography by Toby Murphy.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.