Bunny chow
(Redirected from Bunny Chow Barometer)
South African dish consisting of a hollowed-out loaf of white bread filled with curry
About WikiMD: The article, Bunny chow, is part of WikiMD.
WikiMD is a free medical encyclopedia and wellnesspedia moderated by medical professionals.
A "quarter mutton" bunny with topping | |
Alternative names | |
Type | Curry, sandwich, bread bowl |
Course | Lunch, dinner, snack |
Place of origin | South Africa |
Region or state | Durban |
Associated national cuisine | |
Created by | South African Indians |
Invented | |
Cooking time | minutes to minutes |
Serving temperature | Hot |
Main ingredients | Bread, curry |
Ingredients generally used | |
Variations | |
Food energy | kcal |
Nutritional value | Protein: g, Fat: g, Carbohydrate: g |
Glycemic index | |
Similar dishes | |
Other information | |
Website | [ Official website] |
Bunny chow, often referred to simply as a bunny,[1] is a South African fast food dish consisting of a hollowed-out loaf of white bread filled with curry. It originated among Indian South Africans of Durban.[2] Throughout various South African communities one can find different versions of the bunny chow, which uses only a quarter loaf of bread and depending on which part of the country you are in, is sometimes called a scambane, kota ("quarter") or Shibobo; it is a name that it shares with sphatlho, a South African dish that evolved from the bunny chow.[3]
History[edit | edit source]
The Bunny chow was created in a city called Durban, South Africa. It is home to a large community of people of Indian origin. The precise origins of the food are disputed, although its creation has been dated to the 1940s.[4] It was also sold in Gwelo, Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) during World War II and is still sold in the nearby town of Kadoma, formerly known as Gatooma.
Stories of the origin of bunny chow date as far back as the migrant Indian workers' arrival in South Africa. One account suggests that said Indian laborer's who came to work the sugar cane plantations of KwaZulu-Natal (Port Natal) required a way of carrying their lunches to the field; a hollowed-out loaf of bread was a convenient way to transport their vegetarian curries.[5] Meat-based fillings came later. The use of a loaf of white bread can also be ascribed to the lack of the traditional roti bread as well as its weak structure; thus the cheap loaf, widely available at local stores, would be an optimal substitute vessel for the curry.
Etymology[edit | edit source]
One story claims that a South African restaurant run by Banias (an Indian caste) first created the dish at a restaurant-café, called Kapitan's, on the corner of Victoria and Albert streets in Durban.[6] Another tale opines that the origin of this handheld dish was due to Indian golf caddies not being allowed to publicly carry sharp cutlery like knives during apartheid.[3] "
" in South African English is simply slang for "food" as well as the verb "to eat".
The traditional Indian meal was roti and beans, but the roti tended to fall apart as a take-away item. To solve this, they [who?] hollowed the centre portion of a loaf of white bread and filled it with curry, then capped the filling with the portion that was carved out.[7] The vegetarian version of the meal is sometimes known as a "beans bunny".[6] An alternate, albeit unlikely etymology is derived from a mondegreen of "bun" and "achar" (Indian pickles), though the latter are not usually included in the dish (unless as an accoutrement).[6]
Cuisine[edit | edit source]
Bunny chows are popular amongst Indians and other ethnic groups in the Durban area. Bunny chows are commonly filled with curries made using traditional recipes from Durban: mutton or lamb curry, chicken curry, trotters & beans curry and beans curry. Other varieties found across the country using less traditional Durban-Indian food include chips with curry gravy, fried sausage, cheese, eggs and polony. These are all popular fillings; the original bunny chow was vegetarian. Bunny chows are often served with a side portion of salad containing grated carrot, chilli and onion salad. Commonly known as sambals, this includes chopped tomatoes, onions, and green chilies served with white vinegar. Other sides include Indian pickles, such as mango pickle, lime or lemon pickle, vegetable pickles and other seasonal varieties which are pickled. A key desirable characteristic of a bunny chow is seen when gravy from the curry fillings soaks into the walls of the bread. Sharing a single bunny chow is not uncommon.
Bunny chows come in quarter, half and full loaves. When ordering a bunny chow in Durban, the local slang dictates that you need only ask for a "quarter mutton" (or flavour and size of your choice); colloquially, people would say, "Can I have a quarter mutton bunny?" Bunny chows are mainly eaten using the fingers; it is unusual to see locals use utensils when eating this dish.
Bunny chows were historically packaged in the previous day's newspaper. This is no longer common, and takeaway bunnies are more typically sold in "bunny boxes" which retain heat and prevent leaks from the curry.
Bunny chows are available in many small takeaways and Indian restaurants throughout South Africa. The price ranges from R 15 (US$Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character "[".) for a quarter beans bunny or dhal, to R 50 (US$Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character "[".) for a quarter mutton bunny, and generally one can multiply the price of a quarter by between 3 and 4 to attain the price of a full bunny.
Each year, the "Bunny Chow Barometer" is held in September on the south bank of the Umgeni River, just above Blue Lagoon (a popular Sunday picnic spot for Durban Indians), attracting numerous entrants from across the Durban Metro region to compete for the title of top bunny maker.[8]
See also[edit | edit source]
, a comedy film
– a South African sandwich
, found in Japanese cuisine
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ Jackson, Allan (2003). "More on the Bunny Chow". Facts About Durban (South Africa). Retrieved 22 August 2011.
- ↑
- ↑ 3.0 3.1
- ↑ Platt, Josephine. "The Mystery of Durban's Signature Dish Bunny Chow". Culture Trip. Retrieved 20 June 2021.
- ↑ Warwicker, Michelle (20 January 2014). "What is bunny chow?". BBC Food. Archived from the original on 19 June 2018. Retrieved 28 September 2015.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2
- ↑ "Legends". Quarterbunny. Archived from the original on 13 January 2013. Retrieved 28 September 2015.
- ↑ Lutchman, Chanelle (29 August 2018). "Coca Cola Bunny Chow Barometer Competition 14 years running". IOL. Retrieved 1 October 2019.
Search WikiMD
Ad.Tired of being Overweight? Try W8MD's physician weight loss program.
Semaglutide (Ozempic / Wegovy and Tirzepatide (Mounjaro / Zepbound) available.
Advertise on WikiMD
WikiMD's Wellness Encyclopedia |
Let Food Be Thy Medicine Medicine Thy Food - Hippocrates |
Translate this page: - East Asian
中文,
日本,
한국어,
South Asian
हिन्दी,
தமிழ்,
తెలుగు,
Urdu,
ಕನ್ನಡ,
Southeast Asian
Indonesian,
Vietnamese,
Thai,
မြန်မာဘာသာ,
বাংলা
European
español,
Deutsch,
français,
Greek,
português do Brasil,
polski,
română,
русский,
Nederlands,
norsk,
svenska,
suomi,
Italian
Middle Eastern & African
عربى,
Turkish,
Persian,
Hebrew,
Afrikaans,
isiZulu,
Kiswahili,
Other
Bulgarian,
Hungarian,
Czech,
Swedish,
മലയാളം,
मराठी,
ਪੰਜਾਬੀ,
ગુજરાતી,
Portuguese,
Ukrainian
Medical Disclaimer: WikiMD is not a substitute for professional medical advice. The information on WikiMD is provided as an information resource only, may be incorrect, outdated or misleading, and is not to be used or relied on for any diagnostic or treatment purposes. Please consult your health care provider before making any healthcare decisions or for guidance about a specific medical condition. WikiMD expressly disclaims responsibility, and shall have no liability, for any damages, loss, injury, or liability whatsoever suffered as a result of your reliance on the information contained in this site. By visiting this site you agree to the foregoing terms and conditions, which may from time to time be changed or supplemented by WikiMD. If you do not agree to the foregoing terms and conditions, you should not enter or use this site. See full disclaimer.
Credits:Most images are courtesy of Wikimedia commons, and templates Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY SA or similar.
- Pages with non-numeric formatnum arguments
- EngvarB from July 2016
- Use dmy dates from July 2016
- Articles with specifically marked weasel-worded phrases from November 2018
- Portal templates with redlinked portals
- Pages with empty portal template
- Portal-inline template with redlinked portals
- Bread dishes
- Curry dishes
- South African cuisine
- Street food
- Medical dictionary
Contributors: Prab R. Tumpati, MD