I come from Durban, Durban South Africa. In my part of the world we are home to many things; diverse cultures, beautiful landscapes, and THE BUNNY CHOW. Yup, this is our very own culinary dish, straight from the city itself. This spicy meal has earned itself a steady place in the affections of Durbanites and many have made it their staple source of indulgence.

"No, we don't eat cute fluffy little bunnies"    

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EXPLAIN IT TO ME 

Ok, the dish is simple, and no bunnies are harmed in the process. You need a curry dish to start, be it chicken, beef, lamb or beans, that’s up to you. You need an uncut loaf of bread. Then, depending how hungry you are, either cut off a quarter end of the loaf or if you are feeling ambitious, you can cut the loaf in half. Scoop out the center of the section of the loaf you have just cut (this part is to referred to as the “virgin” - I have no clue why). Fill the bread center with your curry and place the virgin on top (he he). Tada! You’ve made yourself a bunny! 

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GOOD FOR NEWBIES TO KNOW 

If you make a trip to Durban and you would like to try out some of our original cuisine, do not, I repeat DO NOT, ask for a “bunny chow” – you will immediately give your touristy status away. Instead, be very cool and simply ask for “a bunny” - just "a bunny". A true local will get the drill.  You could say something like this to your concierge or driver: “take me to the nearest bunny” or ask “who makes the best bunny in town”. Immediate respect will be granted! Be cool, be cool. 

EAT YOUR BUNNY THE RIGHT WAY 

Don’t want to be laughed at? Here’s how to eat a bunny correctly in public: 

Step 1: Don’t use your knife and fork, this is not how we eat our bunnies! Bunnies are meant to be messy. Don’t like it, don’t eat it. 

Step 2: Start with the erhm, virgin on top. It’s actually considered as the “appetizer” in some Indian families. 

Step 3: Time to dig in. The trick here is to tear off pieces of bread, staying above the gravy/curry line (to avoid mass destruction). Use your bread to scoop up the curry and eat! 

Step 4: Work your way down. Once you have gotten to the bottom of your bunny, pick it up with your fingers and eat it like a piece of toast! 

Step 5: Whether you enjoyed it or not, be courteous, we like our food to be praised. Something like “damn that was good” will do!  

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A LITTLE BIT OF HISTORY

This meal, which is actually considered a fast food in Durban, originated in the Indian community, which makes sense since it Indian people make the best curries, by far! While the origin of the bunny dates back to somewhere in the 1940's, the facts leading to it's conception are actually unknown. One theory is that the migrant workers who were brought to South Africa (Natal) needed a way to carry their food (mainly vegetable curry), some bright-spark came up with the idea of hollowing out bread, to use it as a basket (once eaten there would be one less thing to carry). 

THINGS THAT GO WELL WITH A BUNNY

1.  A BIG glass of cold milk. Durban curries are HOT, not for sissies! Play it "cool" with a glass of milk as your beverage. Some might snicker, but it's best to play the role of a noob at this point - trust me, no one wants to play with FIRE. 
2. Loo paper. This is no a joke (although I find it hilarious). While eating your bunny you might experience sweat and sniffles, it's normal, it even happens to the pros. Best to be prepared. You ehrm, might want to put some toilet paper in the fridge for the next morning too...just saying.

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Side note: I was going to prepare a curry and bunny myself, but hubby and I are on a diet (sucks) - so that's not going to happen anytime soon! Will share my own recipe when it happens!

Much Love - @sweetpea

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