Durban Bunny Chow

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Durban Bunny Chow

Durban Bunny Chow is a traditioinal South African recipe (from Durban) for a classic slow-cooked curry of mutton and onions in an aromatic spice base that's traditionally served in hollowed-out bread with quick-pickled carrot sambal. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic Indian version of: Durban Bunny Chow.

prep time

35 minutes

cook time

150 minutes

Total Time:

185 minutes

Serves:

Rating:

Tags : Curry Spice Recipes Mutton Recipes Bread Recipes South-africa Recipes

Bunny Chow is a traditional Durban curry that’s typically made with mutton and served in a hollowed-out half loaf of bread (the bread being the ‘bunny’). To serve any curry ‘bunny style’ is to serve it in bread. It’s a true classic, made both commercially and at home. Indeed, the narrow bread loves sold in many supermarkets are designed with bunny chow in mind. The traditional curry is best made a day in advance so the flavours can develop and intensify.
This version is a little more ‘chefy’ than most you will encounter, based on restaurant style and served in bread rolls rather than the more typical sliced and hollowed out white loaf. This version is served with a fresh carrot sambal.

Ingredients:

70g ghee, or olive oil
750g stewing mutton on the bone (scrag, for preference), cut into 3cm chunks
3 onions, peeled and coarsely chopped
30g piece fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated
6 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
3 green chillies, cut at an angle into 1cm-thick slices (finger chillies would be typical)
4½ tbsp Durban leaf masala
¾ tsp ground turmeric
2 cinnamon sticks
3 whole star anise
2 fresh bay leaves
750g large plum tomatoes, roughly grated and skins discarded
750ml chicken stock
Sea salt
550g maris piper potatoes (about 3-4), peeled and cut into 3cm chunks
2 carrots, peeled and cut into 3cm chunks (150g)
20g coriander, leaves picked and stalks finely chopped
4 soft white bread rolls

For the curry leaf oil:
30g ghee, or olive oil
4 sprigs fresh curry leaves – about 20 leaves

For the carrot sambal:
3 carrots, peeled and shaved into ribbons with a peeler (200g)
1 small red onion, peeled and finely sliced (100g)
3 tbsp white-wine vinegar
½ garlic clove, grated
10g piece fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated
1 tsp soft light brown sugar
1 bird’s eye chilli, thinly sliced (if you don’t like heat, leave it out)
1 tbsp lime juice
2 tsp olive oil

Method:

Place a large cast iron casserole (Dutch oven) over medium-high heat. When hot add half the ghee and continue heating until searing hot. Add the mutton in two or three batches, frying until well browned on all sides. As one batch cooks transfer to a bowl with tongs then add and cook the next batch.

When all the mutton is cooked and transferred to the bowl add the remaining ghee to the pan. Add the onions and cook gently, stirring frequently, for 20 minutes until sweated down and golden brown. Now add the ginger, garlic, chillies, leaf marsala, turmeric, cinnamon, star anise and bay leaves. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes until aromatic then return the meat (and any meat juices) to the pot. Stir in the tomatoes, chicken stock and 1 ½ tsp salt.

Bring everything to a simmer then add the potatoes and carrots. Return to a brisk simmer then reduce the heat to low, cover and cook, stirring occasionally, for 150 minutes, until the meat is tender. Remove the lid for the final 20 minutes of cooking to allow the gravy to thicken. Take off the heat and set aside to rest for 30 minutes so the flavours can mingle.

Pre-heat your oven to 220C (200C fan/425F/gas mark 7). While the oven’s warming up, make the carrot sambal. Combne the carrots, onions, vinegar, half a tsp of salt, the garlic, ginger, brown sugar and chilli in a bowl, toss to combine, then leave to quick pickle for 30 minutes. Squeeze out the mixture with your hands, to remove as much excess liquid as possible, then mix with the remaining ingredients and the finely chopped coriander stalks.

While the carrot mix is pickling, make the curry leaf oil. In a small frying pan, heat the ghee on a medium heat and, once hot, add the curry leaves, fry for about five minutes, until dark green, then take off the heat and set aside.

Sit the bread rolls on a medium-sized baking tray. Brush them all over with a little of the curry leaf oil then place in the oven to warm for 5 minutes. Remove from the oven, cur off the tops then hollow out the rolls. Spoon in a generous amount of the curry then top with the sambal, a spoonful of the ghee and some curry leaves. Arrange the tops of the rolls at a jaunty angle then serve hot accompanied by the remaining curry leaves, coriander and condments.