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Home » Recipes

South African Curry Recipe For Bunny Chow!

Dec 26, 2020Last Modified: October 29, 2022

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This page may contain affiliate links. So, I receive a small commission at no cost to you when you make a purchase using my link. This post shares a South African curry recipe for a dish called Bunny Chow!

Lamb curry with potatoes inside a hollowed out piece of white bread with green onions as garnish
Jump to:
  • 1,000 Foods To Eat Project
  • Some Interesting Background on Bunny Chow!
  • What Is In That Bread?
  • The Bread For This Make It Yourself South African Curry Recipe
  • The Lamb Curry Ingredients
  • The Method to Make The Lamb Curry and Bunny Chow
  • Enjoy Some Delicious South African Curry!
  • Ready to Make and Enjoy This South African Curry Recipe?
  • Some Other Recipes And Foods You May Enjoy!
  • 1,000 Foods To Eat Project
  • Delicious Bunny Chow!

1,000 Foods To Eat Project

I am working my way through the foods that are listed in the book 1,000 Foods to Eat Before You Die by Mimi Sheraton. This is called my 1,000 Foods to Eat Project.

1,000 Foods to Eat Before You Die Front Jacket

In this book, the author Mimi Sheraton lists her choices for the 1,000 Foods of the World that you MUST try.

Bunny Chow is my food #41 in my Project! Bunny Chow is basically a delicious curry served inside a hollowed out loaf of white bread. This dish originates from South Africa in the Durban area, which is home to a large population of people of Indian origin.

I can definitely and emphatically state that this Bunny Chow, now one of my favorite dishes, has a great flavor and is a food that you MUST try!

Some Interesting Background on Bunny Chow!

There are some different stories as to the origin of this Durban curry and how it was named. For instance, one theory is that Indians who came to work in the sugar cane plantations in South Africa used a hollowed out loaf of bread to carry their curries. Another theory, which I read in a Wikipedia article is that during apartheid, Indian golf caddies weren't allowed to carry sharp cutlery such as knives, so a hand held food such as the Bunny Chow was a great solution to this!

In addition, there is also an article from NPR which indicates that this dish originated as a food to sell to black people who weren't allowed to dine in certain restaurants during apartheid. It was a totally portable dish so that nothing had to be returned after eating it.

Lamb curry with potatoes inside a hollowed out piece of white bread with green onions as garnish

As far as the name? "Chow" in South African slang can mean a both a reference to food, or can be used as a verb meaning "to eat." I read from the 1,000 Foods to Eat Before You Die book, that "bunny" may come from the word "Banias." Banias are the South African Indians who may have created this dish!

What Is In That Bread?

Vegetarian curries originally filled up the hollowed out bread cavity. Later meat curries were introduced. The 1,000 Foods book indicates that lamb is most traditionally used, but that Bunny Chow is also served with fish or beef, or served vegetarian style.

The recipe I share here will be a meat curry using lamb as the main ingredient...spicy and completely delicious!

The Bread For This Make It Yourself South African Curry Recipe

So, the easy way to make Bunny Chow at home is to purchase an unsliced loaf of white bread, cut it in half, and then scoop out the insides. I couldn't find this at my local grocery store, so I ended up asking my husband (the baker in the family) to make me a loaf. It turned out AMAZINGLY GOOD!

Two loaves of bread.

The recipe we used for this bread was "My Favorite White Bread Recipe" from BrownEyedBaker.com. I HIGHLY recommend this recipe!

Two halves of a loaf of white bread, one half is hollowed out with mostly just the crust remaining.

I simply scooped out the insides of a half loaf with my hands, and left the outer part intact. It was PERFECT for the bunny chow!

The Lamb Curry Ingredients

The lamb curry that I made for the Bunny Chow was MOUTHWATERING! Truly! However, it takes some time on the stove to cook it until it is incredibly tender. Be assured that you will be rewarded with an incredibly fall apart delicious and spicy curry if you follow this recipe!

The ingredients you will need for the curry are:

  • Lamb meat for stew
  • Fresh tomatoes
  • Potatoes
  • Yellow Onions
  • Garlic and fresh ginger
  • Olive oil (can sub vegetable oil)
  • Bay leaves
  • Thai chilis (can omit if you prefer a less spicy version)
  • Green onions (optional garnish)
  • Spices include: cinnamon sticks, star anise, turmeric powder, garam masala, cayenne pepper, salt

We will use only the freshest ingredients for this dish, one of the best African curries there is!

Bottle of extra virgin olive oil, lamb stew meat in a white bowl, and two potatoes, two tomatoes, a white onion, 5 Thai chilies, piece of ginger, 4 garlic cloves and a bay leaf on a white plate.
Three metal cups filled with spices one with turmeric, one with garam masala, one with cayenne pepper, a bottle of salt, cinnamon stick and star anise.

The Method to Make The Lamb Curry and Bunny Chow

It really couldn't be easier to make this delectable South African curry recipe! In a nutshell all you need to do is:

Stir fry minced onion, garlic, ginger and chilis in some olive oil in a large pan on medium heat. You will need a pan that has a cover.

Minced onion, garlic, ginger, and chilies in a pot

Now add spices to include star anise, cinnamon, turmeric, garam masala, and cayenne pepper. Also add 2 tbsps of water and stir for a minute to incorporate all ingredients.

At this point your kitchen and house will begin to smell AMAZING!

Minced onion, garlic, ginger, and chilies topped with a cinnamon stick, star anise, turmeric, garam masala and cayenne pepper.

Add diced tomatoes, bay leaf, and a pinch of salt. Stir for a couple of minutes.

Garlic, onion, ginger and chilies in mixed spices, bay leaf and diced tomato in a pot

Now add the lamb and stir to ensure the lamb is completely covered by the spices and cook for 5 minutes.

Saucy spice mix with raw lamb for stew meat on top of the spicy sauce with a blue spatula on the upper left hand side.

Finally add 1 cup of water and your cut up potato. Stir, bring to the boil on a high heat, and then reduce heat to a simmer. For the best results, cover and cook 1.5 hrs - 2 hrs or until the lamb is FALL APART TENDER. During this time you may need to add a litte water if the mixture is too dry. You can add ¼ cup water at a time. When the lamb curry is finished, then add salt to taste.

Lamb curry with lots of curry sauce and cut up pieces of potato.
Lamb curry with cut up potatoes, mince chilies, a cinnamon stick and bay leaf, with a spoon containing some of the lamb curry in the foreground.

That's it! Can't you just imagine those aromatic spices and lamb curry cooking on your stove, and filling your home with the most amazing aromas now?

Enjoy Some Delicious South African Curry!

Lamb curry with potatoes and garnished with green onions in a hollowed out piece of white bread loaf being held by a hand.

The final step is to spoon loads of lamb curry into your hollowed out loaf of bread. If it's messy, so much the better! I garnished mine with some green onions. The 1,000 Foods book recommends serving it with some chutney, so I slathered on some Patak's Major Grey Chutney on it (so good!). 😃

If you fancy trying to make your own chutney, then head over to my "How To Make Easy and Spicy Mango Chutney" recipe.

Patak's Major Grey Chutney
Lamb curry with potatoes inside a hollowed out piece of white bread with green onions as garnish

Ready to Make and Enjoy This South African Curry Recipe?

In conclusion, I hope I've convinced you to give this mouthwatering dish a try! It's most commonly found in South Africa so if you can't get over there then make and enjoy this at home!

This has become one of my favourite curry recipes and I can't recommend it highly enough!

Pro tip: EAT WITH YOUR HANDS as the South Africans do! Tear off pieces of the bread and dip it into the sauce and enjoy!

Geniet jou ete! (Enjoy your meal in Afrikaans!).

Some Other Recipes And Foods You May Enjoy!

Delicious Hearty Welsh Cawl Cennin (Leek Broth)

A terracotta soup bowl full of soup consisting of chicken broth, bacon, leeks, carrots, cabbage and potatoes garnished with Italian parsley with a spoon resting in the soup.

Cape Gooseberry - 1,000 Foods To Eat Project!

Cape Gooseberry in a glass bowl with a few scattered around

1,000 Foods To Eat Project

Please follow along with me on this quest to try the 1,000 Foods To Eat Before You Die, from the book by Mimi Sheraton! Join me in this journey and discover new foods, experiences, and cuisines which I hope will add inspiration, fun, and joy to your life! Visit the 1,000 Foods to Eat Project page to view a list of the foods tried so far.

If you'd like to follow along and be a part of the 1,000 Foods Project, please sign up to get the latest recipes and inspiration for you to expand your food comfort zone! It's an incredible journey, please join me by signing up here.

Cheers!

Grace

Lamb curry with potatoes inside a hollowed out piece of white bread with green onions as garnish

Delicious Bunny Chow!

Grace
Mouthwatering Lamb Curry inside a hollowed out loaf of white bread? YES PLEASE! This dish originates from South Africa and you won't be able to get enough of it!!!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 mins
Cook Time 2 hrs 15 mins
Total Time 2 hrs 30 mins
Course Main Course
Cuisine south african
Servings 3 people
Calories 754 kcal

Equipment

  • Large covered skillet or pan

Ingredients
  

  • 1 loaf of unsliced white bread cut in ½, and the insides scooped out leaving only the outside crusty part; this will provide 2 servings
  • 3 tablespoon olive oil can sub vegetable oil
  • 1 tablespoon garlic minced
  • 1 tablespoon ginger minced
  • 5 Thai chilis minced; leave out if you prefer a less spicy curry
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 onion minced
  • 2 tomatoes diced
  • 2 medium potatoes peeled and cut into small bite sized pieces; can use 1 large potato
  • 1 lb lamb (cut up lamb for stew)

Spices

  • 1 star anise
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • ½ tablespoon turmeric
  • 1 ½ -2 tablespoon garam masala
  • ½ - 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper can omit if you prefer a less spicy version; add closer to 1 tablespoon if you like it spicy!
  • salt to taste
  • green onions sliced for garnish (optional)

Instructions
 

  • Heat a large pan (one that has a cover) on medium heat and then add the olive oil (or vegetable oil). Now add minced onion, garlic, ginger and chilis. Stir for around 3-4 minutes until softened.
    Minced onion, garlic, ginger, and chilies in a pot
  • Add spices to include star anise, cinnamon, turmeric, garam masala, and cayenne pepper. Also add 2 tbsps of water and stir for a minute to incorporate all ingredients.
    Minced onion, garlic, ginger, and chilies topped with a cinnamon stick, star anise, turmeric, garam masala and cayenne pepper.
  • Add diced tomatoes, bay leaf, and a pinch of salt. Stir for a couple of minutes.
    Garlic, onion, ginger and chilies in mixed spices, bay leaf and diced tomato in a pot
  • Add the lamb stew meat, stir well, and cook for around 5 minutes. You will want to check and stir this often during the 5 minutes.
    Saucy spice mix with raw lamb for stew meat on top of the spicy sauce with a blue spatula on the upper left hand side.
  • Add 1 cup of water and your cut up potato. Stir, bring to the boil on a high heat, and then reduce heat to a simmer. Cover and cook 1.5 hrs - 2 hrs or until the lamb is fall apart tender. During this time you may need to add more water if the mixture is too dry. You can add ¼ cup water at a time. When the lamb curry is finished, then add salt to taste.
    Lamb curry with lots of curry sauce and cut up pieces of potato.
  • Once the lamb is tender, fill each hollowed out loaf half with the lamb curry! If it is messy, so much the better! Garnish with green onions if desired!
    Lamb curry with potatoes and garnished with green onions in a hollowed out piece of white bread loaf being held by a hand.

Notes

Enjoy this delicious bunny chow!  Optional garnish is sliced green onions, and a delicious chutney to go on top.  Do as the South African locals do and eat with your hands! geniet jou ete!  (Enjoy your meal in Afrikaans!)

Nutrition

Calories: 754kcalCarbohydrates: 57gProtein: 54gFat: 35gSaturated Fat: 8gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gMonounsaturated Fat: 20gCholesterol: 147mgSodium: 173mgPotassium: 2096mgFiber: 9gSugar: 8gVitamin A: 2687IUVitamin C: 56mgCalcium: 113mgIron: 8mg
Keyword Curry, indian curry, Lamb, lamb curry
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
« Leek Stew Recipe For Welsh Cawl Cennin (Leek Broth)
How To Make Scrumptious Banoffee Pie! »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Rohit Gupta

    September 13, 2021 at 8:14 am

    I couldn't ____ at the grocery..I think you are missing a word in one of your sentences in the article.

    Thanks

    Reply
    • Grace

      September 13, 2021 at 9:14 am

      Hi Rohit! Thanks so much for pointing this out! I have made the correction and appreciate your help. Have an awesome day! Grace

      Reply

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About Me

Hi I’m Grace! I'm married and a mom to my fur baby, Toby, and food and travel are two of my greatest passions! Since our bank account does not allow us to travel or eat out as much as we'd like, I decided I would cook delicious meals that could give us a taste of all the places we'd like to go. My goal is to get you in the kitchen, and inspire you to cook and taste delightful meals that will transport you too. Let’s throw some actual travel in from time to time, all with an emphasis on keeping your wallet full and happy as well. Let’s get cooking and let’s start exploring!! I'm excited to be on this journey with you!!

By the way most of these recipes are Toby taste tested and Toby approved!!

Chief Taste Tester Toby

Toby Chief Taste Tester

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