Recipe of the day: Traditional lamb bunny chow

Many of us enjoy the bright colours of our unique and traditional dishes and this favourite, the bunny chow is aromatic and packed with spice.

With an interesting history, it is believed the legend of the bunny chow arose when the sugar cane plantation labourers from India required a method to transport their lunch, normally curry to the fields.

Food content creator Keshree Chundriah explains the labourers tried using a hollowed loaf of white bread to transport their curry as it was readily available, cost-effective and didn’t require cutlery.

“The hollowed-out loaf of white bread filled with curry proved to be a convenient and effective method of transport plus it was a good way of making a little curry go a long way.”

Synonymous and popular in the Durban region, Chundriah shares a lamb bunny chow recipe close to her heart and a reminder of where she comes from.

Traditional Durban Lamb Bunny Chow recipe

Ingredients

• 60ml oil
• 1 star anise
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 tsp fennel seeds
• 1 large onion, finely sliced
• 3 green chillies, sliced down the middle
• 1 tbsp red ginger & garlic
• ½ tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 1 tsp garam masala
• 2 tsp masala
• 2 tsp chilli powder
• 1kg lamb, cut into cubes
• 1 tomato, puréed
• 1 tsp, dried coriander leaves
• 3 potatoes, quartered
• 1 tsp salt
• ½ cup hot water
• ½ loaf of fresh white bread, unsliced

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Method

1. Place a Le Creuset 24cm Signature Round Casserole over medium heat. The wide base and sloped sides allow for even heat distribution and moisture retention which is exactly what you need when cooking lamb.
2. Add the oil and allow it to heat up. Add the star anise, bay leaves, cinnamon stick & fennel seeds. Once the seeds start to pop, add in the sliced onions, and green chillies, and stir well. Fry for 7-10 minutes.
3. Once the onions start to caramelise, add the red ginger and garlic, turmeric powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, garam masala, masala, and chilli powder. Mix well and allow to fry for 5 minutes.
4. Add the cubed lamb pieces and mix well, ensuring that the lamb pieces are well coated. Add the puréed tomato and coriander leaves, mix well and allow to cook for 15 minutes. Add in potatoes and salt and mix until combined. There will be enough liquid in the curry, but if there isn’t, add hot water. Cover the curry with a lid, decrease the heat, and allow to simmer until the potatoes are soft.
5. If the liquid starts to dry out and the potatoes aren’t cooked, add a little water and mix well. Once the potatoes are soft and the meat is cooked, remove the curry from the heat. Don’t let the curry dry out too much, the gravy should still be a little runny, it will thicken once off the heat.
6. For the bunny, hollow out the inside of half a loaf and fill it with the lamb curry. Garnish with fresh coriander and serve with carrot salad and pickled veg. No cutlery is required, dive right in with your fingers!

Recipe by Keshree Chundriah and found on www.lecreuset.co.za