As mentioned in my previous post, I’ve teamed up with La Motte Bakery to create new takes on a series of iconic South African street food dishes using their beautiful, unique loaves. The Bunny Chow is one of South Africa’s most recognisable and loved sandwiches, originating in Durban. Traditionally served in a hollowed out half loaf or quarter loaf of white bread (government loaf), it is generously filled with Durban-style curry – lamb, chicken or vegetarian. This version is served as a centrepiece-to-share in La Motte Bakery’s Couronne: a beautiful crown-shaped loaf made with baguette dough, filled with a boneless chicken curry with soft potatoes. The loaf has a sturdy crust but a very soft inner, perfect for holding the curry without falling apart and soaking in all those lovely sauce. Serve with La Motte’s Syrah.
Note: Don’t be alarmed by the large amount of oil. A true Durban curry is characterised by the higher amount of oil used, and because we are using boneless skinless chicken, there is no extra fat in the meat.
For the Durban-style chicken curry:
1 tablespoon coriander seeds
1 tablespoon cumin seeds
1,5 tablespoons yellow mustard seeds
125 ml vegetable oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
2-3 cloves garlic
a medium knob of ginger, finely chopped
1-2 fresh or dried chillies, finely chopped
a handful fresh curry leaves, plus extra for serving
2 tablespoons all-in-one masala (or garam masala)
4 large ripe tomatoes (halved and grated from the inside, skins discarded)
800 g boneless chicken, roughly chopped
2 large floury potatoes, peeled and cubed
500 ml chicken stock
salt, to taste
For serving:
1 x La Motte Bakery Couronne loaf
30 ml vegetable oil
a handful fresh curry leaves
fresh coriander leaves
1 small red onion, finely sliced
Method:
In a small pan, toast the coriander, cumin and mustard seeds until fragrant, then transfer to a pestle & mortar (or grinder) and grind until fine. Set aside. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat and add the onions, frying until soft and translucent. Add the garlic, ginger, curry leaves, masala and ground toasted spices, then stir and cook for another 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and stir well, then cook for about 5 minutes, stirring often, until the mixture dries out slightly and looks like its splitting from the oil. Add the chicken, potatoes and stock, then stir and bring to a simmer. Lower the heat, cover and simmer for about 45 minutes or until the potatoes are very tender, stirring now and then to prevent the bottom from burning. Season with salt to taste.
When the curry is ready, let it stand off the heat for at least 10 minutes before serving. In a separate pan, heat 2 tablespoons of oil and quickly fry some extra curry leaves until crispy, for serving.
For serving: use a sharp bread knife to slice off the top of your La Motte Bakery Couronne loaf. Hollow out each rounded part of the loaf, leaving some bread between each bun for when you want to cut it without spilling. Generously fill each hollow with curry, topping it with fresh coriander, sliced red onion and crispy curry leaves.
(This recipe was created in proud collaboration with La Motte Bakery. Be sure to visit the bakery on your next trip to Franschhoek, they serve the best coffee, breakfast and light lunches, and have a phenomenal selection of freshly baked bread and pastries.)