To prepare a quality homemade Durban lamb bunny chow, the following parameters must be achieved: a tender, well-spiced lamb curry, soft potatoes, and a thick sauce that should be placed inside a whole piece of fresh white bread.
The bunny chow recipe is worth keeping on hand if you want to cook one of South Africa's most recognizable dishes at home. Although this favorite Durban dish has spread far beyond KwaZulu-Natal, its uniqueness remains closely tied to this city.
A half-cut piece of white bread is filled with curry, which can contain lamb, beef, chicken, beans, and vegetables; such variations are found on menus across the country. Lamb is a particularly popular choice, and a good lamb bunny requires a curry with enough sauce to soak into the bread without turning it into a soggy mass.
The meat must be tender, the potatoes soft, and the spices well-roasted. This recipe serves two portions and uses whole spices, fresh chili peppers, ginger, garlic, curry leaves, coriander, and masala to create a deeply spiced lamb curry.
Lamb Bunny Chow Recipe
Ingredients
For preparation, you will need: 500g pieces of lamb or meat, ½ loaf of unsliced bread, 3 tablespoons vegetable oil, 1 onion and 2 tomatoes, 3 green chili peppers, 2 teaspoons grated ginger and garlic or paste, 2 potatoes, 2 bay leaves, 1 cinnamon stick, 2 star anise, ½ teaspoon cumin seeds, ½ teaspoon fennel seeds, 2 teaspoons red chili flakes, 1 teaspoon cardamom powder, 1½ teaspoons garam masala, ½ teaspoon ground cumin, 1½ teaspoons ground coriander, 4 tablespoons chili powder or masala, 1 teaspoon turmeric, salt to taste, 1 sprig of curry leaves, several sprigs of thyme, ¼ cup fresh chopped coriander, fresh coriander for garnish, boiling water as needed, and a loaf of unsliced white bread.
Method of Preparation
- Cut the lamb into pieces. Finely chop the onion and tomatoes, cut the green chili peppers in half, and quarter the potatoes. Grate one quarter of the potato and set it aside.
- Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion, green chili peppers, thyme, bay leaf, star anise, cinnamon, fennel seeds, and cumin seeds. Cook until the onion becomes translucent and the spices are fragrant.
- Add the turmeric, red chili flakes, chili powder or masala, garam masala, ground coriander, ground cumin, cardamom, and ginger with garlic. Mix well so that all ingredients are combined.
- Add the lamb and salt, stirring until the meat is evenly coated with the spice mixture. Cover with a lid and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. No water should be added at this stage.
- Add the tomatoes, grated potato, curry leaves, and chopped coriander. Stir well, then add some boiling water. Cover with a lid and cook for about 25 minutes, stirring occasionally and adding a little more water if necessary.
- Add the potato quarters and enough boiling water so that the curry continues to cook without becoming watery. Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer until the lamb is tender and the potatoes are cooked.
- At the end of cooking, check the sauce. It should be thick enough to be spooned onto the bread, not run through it. If necessary, simmer uncovered for a few minutes to reduce the sauce.
- Cut the bread into pieces and cut out the center, leaving a layer of bread on the sides and bottom.
- Fill it with the hot lamb curry, garnish with fresh coriander, and serve immediately.
(Recipe from EetMee)
How to Get the Right Sauce for Bunny Chow
The sauce should be thick and spoonable, containing enough liquid to cover the lamb and potatoes, and also to soak into the bread. It is advisable to avoid adding too much water at the beginning. Tomatoes release liquid as the curry cooks, and the grated potato helps to thicken the sauce.
If the curry becomes too thin after cooking the lamb and potatoes, simmer it uncovered for a few minutes until it thickens. If the meat becomes too dry before it becomes tender, add a little boiling water and continue cooking. The finished curry should have enough sauce to generously fill the bread without pooling at the bottom.
The goal for preparing an authentic homemade Durban lamb bunny chow is simple: a tender, well-spiced lamb curry with soft potatoes and a thick sauce, all enclosed in a piece of fresh white bread.
