~692 cal · 47g protein · 29g carbs · 43g fat (estimated, per serving)
🍽️
Hollowed bread loaf filled with dark curry, bread lid on top
🇿🇦 KwaZulu-Natal
Bunny chow was born among Durban’s Indian community, who hollowed a loaf to carry curry to work where plates weren’t allowed. The scooped-out bread ("the virgin") sits on top for dipping; a "quarter mutton" is the classic order.
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Make it yours
Toggle a diet and the ingredients rewrite themselves with regional substitutes.
🥕 Vegetarian
🌱 Vegan
🌾 Gluten-Free
🥛 Dairy-Free
🥜 Nut-Free
🥚 Egg-Free
Ingredients
Serves 4 —
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1.5 lbs lamb or mutton, cubed
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2 (halved) white bread, unsliced loaves
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2 onions
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5 cloves garlic
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1 tbsp ginger
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3 tbsp Durban masala or hot curry powder
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3 tomatoes
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2 tbsp tomato paste
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2 potatoes, cubed
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2 sprigs curry leaves
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1 cinnamon stick
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4 cardamom
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1/4 cup neutral oil
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a handful cilantro, to finish
Instructions
1
Fry the onions with the whole spices and curry leaves until golden; add garlic and ginger.
2
Add the masala and fry 1 minute, then the lamb (or vegetables), searing in the spice.
3
Add tomatoes, paste, and water to cover; simmer 45 minutes (25 for the plant version), adding potatoes halfway, until thick and the oil rises.
4
Hollow out each bread half, keeping the torn-out middle ("the virgin").
5
Ladle curry into the bread cavity, perch the bread lid on top, scatter cilantro, and eat with your hands — no cutlery, that’s the whole idea.
Durban Indian street tradition.
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🌏 While it simmers — know your destination
📍
KwaZulu-Natal. Zulu heartland and Durban’s curry coast.
🗺️
South Africa. The rainbow nation’s braai fires and township kitchens.
🌍
Africa. Fifty-four countries of tagines, stews, and fire-kissed grills.
The story behind this dish is up top — worth a read while the pot works.
👩🍳
Richard Moore & Kelsey Tucker
Recipes cooked, tested, and researched by the creators of Spin the Globe. How we build our recipes →
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