Bunny Chow with Mutton
A legendary Durban street food classic featuring tender, slow-cooked mutton curry packed inside a hollowed loaf of white bread.
The ultimate taste of Durban! Born in the 1940s, this iconic South African street food features rich, bone-in mutton slow-cooked with aromatic whole spices, Kashmiri chilli, and melt-in-your-mouth potatoes. Served piping hot inside a hollowed-out loaf of fresh white bread with crunchy carrot sambal on the side.
Before you start
Get your mise en place ready so nothing catches you out mid-cook.
Method
- 1
Sauté Aromatics & Whole Spices
Heat 3 tbsp vegetable oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the whole spices (cinnamon stick, cardamom pods, star anise, bay leaf) and a few curry leaves, frying for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- 2
Add the 2 finely chopped onions and sauté until soft and golden brown. Stir in 2 tsp ginger and garlic paste and cook for another minute.
- 3
Bloom Spices & Build Gravy
Add 2 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder, 1 tsp ground turmeric, 1 tsp ground fennel, and 1 tsp garam masala along with a splash of water and 2 grated medium tomatoes, cooking down into a thick, fragrant spice paste.
The rest of this recipe
There's 8 more ingredients and 5 more steps to go.
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Ivana’s note
Bone-in mutton is essential for an authentic Durban bunny chow as the marrow renders into the gravy during slow cooking, giving it that unmistakable rich depth.
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