Bunny Chow

An authentic recipe for South Africa's beloved Bunny Chow, highlighting rich aromatic spices, tender meat, and the signature bread bowl presentation.

Level Medium Prep 20 min Cook 60 min Servings 4 Score 4.9/10

Ready in

80 min

Makes 4 servings

Prep 20m

Cook 60m

Level Medium

About this recipe

An authentic recipe for South Africa's beloved Bunny Chow, highlighting rich aromatic spices, tender meat, and the signature bread bowl presentation.

South Africa's legendary street food consisting of a hollowed loaf of white bread filled with spicy curry.

Heat oil in a heavy-based pot over medium heat. Add chopped onions and cinnamon stick, sautéing until golden brown.
Stir in garlic and ginger paste, curry powder, and turmeric, cooking for about 1 minute until fragrant.
Add the mutton pieces and salt, searing well until browned on all sides.
Pour in the chopped tomatoes and stock, bring to a simmer, then cover and cook over low heat for 30 minutes.
Add the potato quarters to the pot and continue simmering for another 25-30 minutes until the meat and potatoes are completely tender.
Prepare the bread by cutting the loaves in half and carefully hollowing out the soft interior crumbs, leaving a sturdy outer crust shell.
Ladle the hot, rich curry directly into the hollowed bread bowls and cap them with the reserved bread crumbs (known as the 'lid').

Calories 620

Protein 34g

Carbs 65g

Fat 24g

Fiber 5g

Sugar 6g

Sodium 880mg

Serving Size 1 filled bread half

Prep 20 min

Cook 60 min

Total 80 min

Overall 9.4 /10

Expert 4.9 95% conf.

Reviewed by FindEdition Kitchen

An iconic South African street food masterpiece combining fiery, aromatic curry with a clever edible bread bowl.

South Africa's legendary street food consisting of a hollowed loaf of white bread filled with spicy curry.

Summary

An authentic recipe for South Africa's beloved Bunny Chow, highlighting rich aromatic spices, tender meat, and the signature bread bowl presentation.

Use dense, cheap white loaves of bread so the crust holds the heavy curry without leaking through
Save the soft inner bread crumb piece (the lid) to dip into the rich gravy
Adjust the spice level by selecting mild or hot Durban curry powder according to preference