Bunny Chow
When living in downtown Toronto, I was surrounded with different ethnicities. My next-door neighbour was from South Africa, another one was Persian, behind me the whole family was from Ethiopia next to Jamaicans . There were also Russian, Polish, English, and Indian 👳♂️ – I’m probably missing a few more…
During the summer, many of them were having a “backyard” party – it wasn’t really a backyard per se but more of a parking lot. Each time it happened, I was either moving my car 🚗 out or driving somewhere so they could have more space for their guests plus I didn’t want to turn the hood or trunk of my car into a sitting area.
They all appreciated it and I was rewarded by having some of their food. This is how I came across a few interesting dishes like this one… Bunny Chow! I said what? No, there’s no cute little bunnies 🐰 cooked in this dish nor is it a stripper’s name but simply a popular street food from South Africa.
It’s a delicious curry served in hollow bread often accompanied with a salad 🥗 as a side. Originating back in the 1940s’ in Durban where there’s a large community of Indian people, this tasty “bowl” recipe can be substituted by using other proteins and ingredients unless the meat is left out for a vegetarian flare.
Mutton and lamb are probably the preferred ingredient but I like using chicken breasts instead. There are aromatic spices, tomatoes 🍅, potatoes, and more. While cooking, the curry might seem on the thin side. Don’t worry because chickpeas are added to it at the end and will release starch helping thicken the mixture.
As I mentioned above, the curry is served in hollow bread. Traditionally, unsliced white bread 🍞is used but to make my life easier, I’ve been using Kaiser buns. This dish is treated more like a sandwich therefore it’s eaten without cutlery using the top of the bread to dig in.
We love curry and this fast-food dish is exactly the definition of a very flavorful one without being overly spicy! It’s so well liked that each year in September, there’s a competition held in Durban called “Bunny Chow Barometer”. Contestants from several regions battle for the title of the champion bunny maker 🏆🥇!
The first time I was offered Bunny Chow, right away, I declined thinking Bugs Bunny was in the dish. After being told which ingredients went in – it was lamb – then I gave it a try. It was amazing 😍! This is a great comfort food that can be enjoyed for lunch, dinner or as a snack throughout the day…
Bon Appétit! 🍽
Here are more delicious comfort food recipes for you to try… 😀
– Chili Cheese Fries
– Pierogi Casserole
– Chicken Vesuvio
– Michigan Hot Dogs
– Veal Marsala
– Coffee Beef Stew
– Sweet Pork Ribs
and for even more comfort food recipes 🥰, click on this link… Recipe Category • Comfort Food
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Bunny Chow
Hover to scale
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp. ghee tips & tricks
- 2 cups white onions, chopped
- 1/2 tsp. ground Himalayan pink salt, or to taste
- 1 cup red peppers, chopped
- 4 large cloves garlic, pressed
- 2 tbsp. ginger, minced
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 3 cardamom pods, slightly crushed
- 1 tbsp. curry powder
- 1 tbsp. ground cumin
- 1/2 tbsp. garam masala
- 1/2 tsp. fennel seeds
- 1 tbsp. tomato paste tips & tricks
- 2 large chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper, or to taste (I always use mixed peppercorns)
- 1 can (14.5 oz.) diced tomatoes
- 1 tbsp. brown sugar
- 3 cups Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cubed
- 1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth, or as needed
- 1 can (15 oz.) chickpeas, rinsed and drained
- 1 tbsp. freshly squeezed lime juice tips & tricks
- 4 large buns such as Kaiser
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro, for garnish tips & tricks
- 8 lime wedges, for serving
Directions
- In a large sauté pan or Dutch oven over medium heat, add ghee. When hot, add onions and season with salt; sauté for 2 minutes. Add red peppers and sauté for 2 minutes.
- Add garlic, ginger, cinnamon stick, cardamom pods, curry powder, cumin, garam masala and fennel seeds; sauté for 2 minutes.
- Add tomato paste and stir to coat.
- Add chicken cubes and season with freshly ground black pepper. Cook until no longer pink, about 5 minutes, stirring often.
- Add diced tomatoes, brown sugar and potato cubes; stir well. And broth enough to just cover everything. Stir well, bring to a boil before reducing back to medium. Simmer for 25 minutes or until potatoes are tender.
- Meanwhile, cut the tops off buns and scoop out the inside to create a bowl; set them aside.
- After 25 minutes, add chickpeas and lime juice. Mix well and cook for an additional 10 minutes.
- When curry is cooked, remove the cinnamon stick and discard it. Remove the sauté pan from the heat and let the mixture rest for 10 minutes.
- Spoon curry into the prepared buns, sprinkle on cilantro and serve with lime wedges.
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My son went for seconds & thirds and said it was the best curry ever! Thank you for sharing
That’s awesome 😀! I’m happy your son really enjoyed the recipe. Have a lovely day Liza 🌞