Thursday 9 February 2012

Durban Mutton Bunny Chow Recipe


Bunny chow is a slang term for a South African fast food consisting of a loaf of bread, with the inside scooped out, and filled with curry. Bunny chows are commonly filled with curries made using traditional recipes from Durban: mutton or lamb, chicken and bean curries are the more popular fillings.


Ingredients
  • 1½kg mutton or lamb cut into bite-size pieces                                                 
  • 4 Tbs oil
  • 4 x 2.5cm pieces cinnamon
  • 6 green cardamoms
  • 6 cloves
  • 1 bay leaf                                                  
  • 2 tsp fennel seeds
  • 4 sprigs curry leaves
  • 2 green chillies, slivered                                                 
  • 1 large onion, chopped                                                 
  • ½ tsp turmeric
  • 1 Tbs crushed ginger
  • 1 Tbs crushed garlic
  • 1 Tbs brown vinegar
  • 2 tsp sugar
  • 2 tsp garam
  • 4 level Tbs medium hot mixed masala
  • 5 cups water
  • ½ cup tomato purée                                                 
  • 1 tomato, chopped                                                 
  • 6 even-size potatoes, peeled                                                 
  • ½ cup chopped fresh coriander
  • salt to taste                                                 
  • LOAF OF FRESH bread CUT IN HALF OR 4 QUARTERS                                                 

How to make it

  • Rinse meat in a colander
  • Drain excess water
  • Heat oil in a fairly large saucepan
  • Add cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, bay leaf and fennel
  • Stir for a few seconds
  • Add curry leaves, chillies, onion, turmeric, ginger and garlic
  • Sauté for 3-4 minutes
  • In a bowl, combine vinegar, sugar, garam masala and mixed masala, and mix well
  • Add masala mixture to onions
  • Add the meat and salt
  • Mix until the meat is coated with masala
  • Cover saucepan and cook on moderate heat until juices from meat have been extracted
  • Stir from time to time until meat is well braised and the oil floats to the surface
  • Add water and continue cooking until meat is tender
  • Add tomato purée, chopped tomatoes and potatoes
  • When potatoes are cooked through and the gravy has been slightly reduced, add coriander
  • TIP: Cook on moderate heat to retain enough gravy
  • Cut out inside of bread
  • Dump in the mutton curry
  • Stick the cut out bit on top
  • Serve with Sambals if desired