Boerewors, braais and biltong are well-known worldwide as ethnic South African treats but there’s another staple food that’s just as popular across all ethnicities in the country.
The bunny chow is the creation of South Africa’s Indian population. It is a simple dish with extraordinary powers of fulfilment and bursts with Eastern flavour. Simply put the bunny chow is nothing more than a dollop of curry served in a hollowed out portion of bread with a side of grated carrot and chilies.
A Bunny for all Seasons
The bunny chow is comfort food deluxe and has found its way onto menus all over the world. Bunny chow can be prepared using any kind of curry such as beans, chicken, lamb (or even tripe), with beans and lamb being the most popular.
With a little imagination and creative bread baking, the bunny chow can be upgraded to meet the standards of any establishment, or simply served in its traditional greasy half loaf form.
What’s in a Name?
The dish stems from the Indian folk who first arrived in South Africa to work the sugar cane fields towards the end of the 1800s. These working class people, colloquially known as banias, quickly set up shop to cater to their peers’ taste for traditional Indian cuisine.
While their contemporaries could be served in their restaurants and cafes, under the Apartheid laws the local black population could not.
Being the ingenious businessmen that they are, the Indian traders soon figured out a way to serve their African clientele via the back door. These entrepreneurs stated dishing up their curries in hollowed half-loaves of bread which doubled up as a serving dish with the centre of the bread provided for scooping out the goodness within.
Wrapped in newspaper, these hearty meals soon caught on with the Indian farm labourers as an ideal lunch for a day in the fields too.
The fame of the ‘bania chow’ rapidly spread far and wide and was soon mispronounced enough to become known as ‘bunny chow’ by all and sundry.
Try it Yourself
Don’t judge the humble bunny until you’ve tried it!
With a large community of South African’s of Indian descent, Durban is the leader when it comes to Indian cuisine but you can get your hands on a bunny chow almost anywhere you ask for it.
Wherever you go in South Africa you are bound to get a taste of the cultural patchwork that makes up the country. Try to experience as much of it as you can during your trip.
Get in touch today to start planning your culinary explorations on a southern African safari.
