Bunny Chow

Name: Bunny Chow
Cook time: 90 min
Total time: 90 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: South African
Ingredients: 800g Boneless Mutton Shoulder, or Lamb Shoulder; 2 large Onions, finely chopped; 3 tbsp Neutral Oil; 1 tsp Black Mustard Seeds; 10 leaves of Curry Leaves, fresh; 4 cloves of Garlic, minced; 2 centimeter (cm)s of Ginger, grated; 2 1/2 tbsp Durban Curry Powder, masala; 1 tsp Ground Turmeric; 2 tsp Ground Coriander; 1 tsp Ground Cumin; 1 small stick of Cinnamon Stick; 2 medium Tomatoes, chopped; 3 medium Potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks; 400ml Water, plus more as needed; 1 1/2 tsp Salt, to taste; 1 loaf of White Bread Loaf, unsliced; about 800 g–1 kg, quartered and hollowed; 2 Carrots, grated; 1/2 small Onion, thinly sliced; 1 Green Chili, finely sliced; 1 tbsp White Vinegar; 1/2 tsp Sugar; 4 tbsp Mango Atchar, optional but common; Some Cilantro, fresh, chopped; small handful, for garnish; 1 pinch of Salt

Bunny Chow is a comforting South African street-food classic — a fragrant, spicy mutton curry ladled into a hollowed-out loaf of bread for a hand-held, soul-warming meal. Tender chunks of mutton simmered with potatoes, carrots and a heady mix of Durban curry powder and warm spices create a rich, aromatic filling, balanced by quick-pickled onions and bright cilantro. Serve with mango atchar for a sweet-spicy contrast and you have a satisfying, shareable feast.

Bunny Chow is a comforting South African street-food classic — a fragrant, spicy mutton curry ladled into a hollowed-out loaf of b... Show more

Traditional South African Recipe

Health Grade

B- · Healthy

Rating

4.4

Time

1 hr30 min

Price

4,00 €

Calories

1143 kcal

one pot

high protein

low sugar

fusion

Method

Prep the fillings

Pat the Boneless Mutton Shoulder dry and cut it into bite-size chunks if needed. Finely chop the Onion for the curry, mince the Garlic, grate the Ginger, and chop the Tomato. Peel and chunk the Potatoes, grate the Carrots, thinly slice a little more onion, finely slice the Green Chili, and chop a small handful of Cilantro for garnish.

Build the curry base

Set a pot over medium heat and warm the Neutral Oil. Add the Black Mustard Seeds and Curry Leaves; when the seeds start to pop, stir in the chopped onion and cook until soft and golden, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic and ginger and cook for 1 minute, then stir in the Durban Curry Powder, Ground Turmeric, Ground Coriander, Ground Cumin, and the Cinnamon Stick. Cook for 30 seconds until fragrant, then add the meat and stir until it is coated and lightly browned.

Simmer the curry

Add the chopped tomato and cook for 2 minutes, stirring and scraping up the browned bits on the bottom. Pour in the Water and season with about 1 1/2 teaspoons of the Salt, then bring everything to a boil. Lower the heat to a gentle simmer and cover partly with a lid for 25 minutes. Stir in the potatoes, then simmer for 20 minutes more, adding a splash more water if needed, until the meat is tender and the gravy is rich and spoonable. Fish out the cinnamon stick before serving if you can spot it.

Mix the relish

While the curry simmers, toss the grated carrots, sliced onion, finely sliced green chili, White Vinegar, Sugar, and a pinch of salt in a small bowl. Let the relish sit for 10 minutes so the vegetables soften slightly and the flavors turn bright and tangy. Stir once before serving.

Hollow the loaf

While the relish rests, cut the White Bread Loaf into four quarters, then hollow out the center of each piece with your fingers or a spoon, leaving a thick base and sturdy walls. Save the soft bread you remove for dipping into the curry.

Assemble and serve

Divide the hot curry among the bread quarters, letting it soak into the edges without collapsing the walls. Top each one with the chopped cilantro, a spoonful of the carrot relish, and some Mango Atchar if you like the traditional sweet-spicy finish. Serve immediately with the reserved bread centers on the side for scooping.