Bunny Chow

By Whts4dinner

Bunny Chow

Bunny chow is Durban's famous street food: a small white loaf hollowed out and filled to the brim with spicy curry. This version builds the curry from onions, garlic, ginger, curry powder, garam masala and turmeric, then simmers your choice of beef, chicken, lamb or beans with tomatoes and potatoes until thick. The scooped-out bread is served alongside for mopping up the sauce. 75 minutes, 25 minutes to prepare and 50 minutes to cook, 6 servings, beef, chicken, lamb, or bean curry base and white bread loaves, dinner.

Prep: 25 min · Cook: 50 min · Total: 75 min · Serves: 6

Ingredients

  • 3 small white bread loaves (ends cut off and hollowed out)
  • 3 tbsp curry powder
  • 800 g beef, chicken, lamb, or bean curry base (cubed or prepared)
  • 375 ml water or stock
  • 1 tsp salt (or to taste)
  • 1 tsp turmeric
  • 0.5 tsp black pepper
  • 1 tbsp garam masala
  • 3 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 4 tbsp fresh coriander (chopped)
  • 2 large tomatoes (chopped)
  • 1 tbsp fresh ginger (grated)
  • 3 medium potatoes (peeled and cubed)
  • 2 large onions (finely chopped)
  • 4 garlic cloves (minced)

Instructions

  1. Finely chop the onions, mince the garlic cloves, grate the fresh ginger, chop the tomatoes, and peel and cube the potatoes. Cut the beef, chicken or lamb into bite-sized cubes, or drain the beans.
  2. Heat the vegetable oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat. Add the onions and cook for 7 to 8 minutes, stirring often, until soft and golden.
  3. Add the garlic cloves and fresh ginger and cook for 1 to 2 minutes until fragrant. Stir in the curry powder, garam masala and turmeric and cook for 30 seconds more so the spices toast without burning.
  4. Add the beef, chicken, lamb, or bean curry base, the tomatoes, potatoes, salt, black pepper and the water or stock. Stir well, scraping the bottom of the pot, and bring to a boil.
  5. Cover, lower the heat and simmer for 35 to 40 minutes, stirring now and then, until the potatoes are tender and the sauce is thick. Chicken must reach 165°F (74°C); beef or lamb cubes may need 20 to 30 minutes longer to become tender, so add a splash of water if the curry gets too dry. Taste and adjust the salt.
  6. While the curry simmers, cut each of the white bread loaves in half crosswise and pull out the soft centre of each half, leaving a sturdy wall about 2 cm thick and keeping the scooped-out bread.
  7. Spoon the hot curry generously into the bread cavities, scatter over the chopped fresh coriander, and serve straight away with the scooped-out bread on the side.

Nutrition (per serving)

  • Calories: 540
  • Protein: 27 g
  • Fat: 18 g
  • Carbohydrates: 64 g
  • Fiber: 4 g
  • Sugar: 6 g
  • Sodium: 780 mg

Nutrition values are estimates based on stored ingredient totals and serving size.

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