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Meat, Africa and overseas

Lamb bunny chow

Lamb bunny chow is a South African lamb curry served inside a hollowed round loaf that doubles as an edible bowl. This recipe serves 4, takes 1 hour 40 minutes, has a medium difficulty level, and costs €4.40 per person. Success comes down to a long, slow simmer that tenderizes the lamb and a dense enough loaf to soak up the sauce without falling apart.

Tonight, Durban street food, bunny chow, a round loaf hollowed out and filled with a fragrant lamb curry.

Lamb bunny chow
Total time
1 h 40
Difficulty
Medium
Cost per person
€4.40
Calories per person
720 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Fall, Winter
The kids
They generally like it

Bunny chow is a thick, fragrant lamb curry, lifted by ginger, garlic, and a mix of hot curry powder and garam masala. The meat turns tender after nearly an hour of simmering, the potatoes thicken the sauce as they soften, and the hollowed loaf acts as both bowl and bread at once. You eat it with your hands, dipping pieces of bread into the curry that has soaked into the crust.

It's a good dish for a Sunday when you have time to let it simmer, or a weeknight if you make the curry the day before. Kids enjoy hollowing out their own little loaf like a game, and you can tone down the heat for them. It also works well when friends come over and you'd rather talk than cook all evening, since it simmers quietly on its own.

The ingredients

4 people

Butcher

  • Boneless lamb shoulder 700 g

Bakery

  • Round country loaves 4

Fruits and vegetables

  • Potatoes 400 g
  • Onions 2
  • Tomatoes 3
  • Garlic 4 cloves
  • Fresh ginger 1 tbsp
  • Cilantro 10 sprigs

Pantry

  • Hot curry powderoften in the pantry 2 tbsp
  • Garam masalaoften in the pantry 1 tsp
  • Sunflower oiloften in the pantry 4 tbsp
  • Saltoften in the pantry 2 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Allergens Gluten

The step by step recipe

  1. Cut the lamb into 3 cm cubes and the potatoes into chunks, thinly slice the onions, garlic and ginger, and dice the tomatoes.

    Leave a little fat on the meat, it melts down and adds flavor to the sauce.

  2. Brown the lamb in hot oil, then add the onions, garlic, ginger and curry powder and cook, stirring, for a few minutes. 10 min

    Toast the curry powder in the oil for a minute before adding liquid, it removes the bitterness.

  3. Add the tomatoes, salt, pepper and 300 ml of water, cover and let simmer over low heat. 50 min

    If the curry starts to stick, add a small glass of hot water.

  4. Add the potatoes and keep cooking covered, then stir in the garam masala. 25 min

    The potatoes thicken the sauce as they release their starch.

  5. Cut the tops off the loaves, hollow out the bread, warm the shells in the oven for 5 minutes and fill them with curry, topped with cilantro. 5 min

    Fill generously, the sauce should soak into the inner crust.

Our tips to get it right

  • Pick loaves with a tight crumb and a thick crust, a soft loaf gets soggy and falls apart before the meal is over.
  • Trim a little fat off the lamb shoulder if it's very fatty, but always leave some, it's what carries the flavor of the curry.
  • Taste the sauce before adding the potatoes and adjust the salt, since once the potatoes are in, it's harder to season the sauce just right.

The variations

  • Swap the lamb shoulder for beef chuck cut into cubes, the simmer will take a bit longer, add about 15 more minutes.
  • For a vegetarian version, replace the lamb with cooked chickpeas and eggplant chunks, added at the same time as the potatoes.
  • For kids, cut the hot curry powder by half and skip the garam masala, the curry stays fragrant but much milder.

What to serve it with

  • Mango chutney
  • Cucumber and red onion salad
  • Iced lemon tea

Storage

The lamb curry keeps for 3 days in the fridge in a sealed container, and it often tastes even better the next day. It freezes well for up to 2 months, without the bread. Reheat gently in a saucepan, adding a splash of water if the sauce has thickened, and fill fresh loaves right before serving.

Questions about this dish

Can you make the curry ahead of time?

Yes, it's actually recommended. Make the curry the day before, store it in the fridge, and reheat it gently before filling the loaves right before serving.

What bread should I use if I can't find round country loaves?

Pick a rustic roll with a thick crust and dense crumb, like a small boule. Avoid soft breads, they fall apart quickly.

The curry is too spicy for kids, what should I do?

Cut the hot curry powder by half in the recipe and keep the garam masala, the dish stays fragrant without the heat. A spoonful of yogurt on their plate also helps.

Can you freeze the assembled bunny chow?

It's better to freeze just the curry, without the bread. Filled loaves don't thaw well and turn soggy, so fill fresh loaves at the last minute instead.

How long does it take to make a lamb bunny chow?

Count 1 h 40 in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “medium”.

How many calories are in a lamb bunny chow?

About 720 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a lamb bunny chow cost?

About €4.40 per serving, or €17.60 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains gluten. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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