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    Home / Lunch / Bunny Chow

    Bunny Chow

    A hollowed loaf of bread packed with Durban-style lamb curry, eaten with your hands — South Africa’s iconic street food.

    ⏱ 25 minPrep time
    🔥 1 hr 10 minCook time
    🍽 4Servings
    🏷 LunchCategory
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    Bunny chow was born in Durban’s Indian community in the 1940s, when curry shops hollowed out loaves of bread so workers could carry a hot lunch without plates or cutlery. The name is a mystery to this day, but the dish is not: a crusty white loaf filled to the brim with slow-cooked curry, meant to be eaten from the inside out. It is messy, glorious, and utterly South African.

    Curry that soaks into every crumb

    The lamb curry is rich and deeply spiced, with soft potatoes soaking up the gravy, and the bread does exactly what it should: it holds the curry, soaks up the juices, and gets torn off and dunked as you eat. The hollowed-out lid is the best part, a warm bread bowl cap perfect for mopping up the last spoonfuls. Serve it hot, with no fork in sight.

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    Step by stepInstructions

    1. Heat the oil in a large heavy pot over medium-high heat and brown the lamb in batches until deeply colored, about 5 minutes per batch. Set aside.
    2. In the same pot, cook the onions until soft and golden, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic, ginger, curry powder, and turmeric and stir for 1 minute until fragrant.
    3. Return the lamb to the pot with the tomatoes, chili, salt, and hot water. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer.
    4. Cover and simmer for 45 minutes, then add the potatoes and cook 20 to 25 minutes more, until the lamb is tender and the gravy is thick.
    5. Stir in the cilantro and check the seasoning. The curry should be saucy, not dry.
    6. Cut the top off the bread loaf and hollow out the center, leaving a thick crust wall on all sides. Keep the removed bread for dunking.
    7. Fill the hollow with hot curry, replace the lid at an angle, and serve immediately with napkins.

    💡 Chef tips & storage

    Ask the bakery for an unsliced loaf with a sturdy crust so it holds the curry without falling apart. The curry is even better made a day ahead — the flavors settle overnight.

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    Recipe details

    Prep25 min
    Cook1 hr 10 min
    Servings4
    CategoryLunch
    PublishedAugust 17, 2026
    Emily — the cook behind My Comfort Recipes

    Hi, I'm Emily 🧡

    Hi, I'm Emily — the cook behind My Comfort Recipes. Simple, tested comfort food for real weeknights, written down the way grandma would. Pull up a chair. More about me →

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