Durban’s Bunny Chow – the world’s least photogenic street food?

Now I’ve had my first Durban bunny chow, I know I’m back home. Don’t be alarmed, any bunny-huggers out there – this is not about eating rabbit, though I confess I have nothing against that either.

There’s nothing that says “Durban” more conclusively than a bunny chow, also known simply as a bunny. Indeed, Rocky Bunny café (27 Lighthouse Mall), just up the road from us in Umhlanga Rocks, would have us believe that the bunny is becoming South Africa’s most popular meal. (Must be true – it’s printed on their quarter-bunny take-away box.)

Luncthime fellow-diners at Rocky Bunny assured us that it makes "the best curry"
Lunchtime fellow-diners at Rocky Bunny assured us that its chef makes “the best curry”; they’re washing down their quarter chicken bunnies with Coke

Wait a minute… takeaway box?! The traditional wrapping for a bunny is newspaper!

And the traditional accompaniment is any sweet and fizzy drink, like Coke, Fanta, or something from the Sparletta range. Tongue-staining-red Sparberry, the appallingly green Creme Soda or the jaundice-yellow Pine Nut are favourite pairings, considered by local Indians to offer a judicious balance to the chilli-punch of our South Indian-style curries. (And no, Pine Nut has absolutely nothing to do with those fancy seeds you sprinkle on salads.)

Bunnies for two
Bunnies for two

It’s a fact that the bunny chow originated in Durban’s Indian community, which began in 1860 with the arrival on the Truro of 342 indentured labourers,  and now numbers over a million. (Not all direct descendants, by the way; other ships followed.) Today, Durban has by far the biggest Indian community in the Indian diaspora.

But I don’t know who first had the bright idea of hollowing out a loaf of bread, filling it with curry and then using the excavated bit to seal the top. It’s the perfect street-food, coming as it does in its own edible container.

How to eat a bunny

Ideally with your fingers, of course. But if you’ve nabbed an outdoor table at the relatively salubrious Rocky Bunny, you can protect your French manicure by asking the kind man behind the counter for some cutlery. And your meal comes on a plate.

A healthier option

A rectangular government loaf is standard, either a half-loaf or a quarter-loaf – nowadays always white bread, it seems. When I worked in the Mayor’s Parlour in City Hall in the late nineties, though, I would get my lunchtime beans bunny from a small café that offered the option of whole-wheat khune bread, with a side of chilli-hot sambal. Just the thing to see off a hangover… and we had more than our fair share of those back then.

So, let’s raise a glass to the humble bunny – and to its price. The modest sum of R56 (US$3.91) bought Roy and me two quarter beans bunnies today, and that included a bottle of water. What’s more, we may be paying over the odds in Umhlanga Rocks, which boasts some of the country’s most expensive real estate. It’s nice to be home!


 

It's only fair to share...Share on email
Email
Share on facebook
Facebook
Share on google
Google
Share on twitter
Twitter
Share on linkedin
Linkedin

Verne Maree

Born and raised in Durban, South African Verne is a writer and editor. She and Roy met in Durban in 1992, got married four years later, and moved briefly to London in 2000 and then to Singapore a year later. After their 15 or 16 years on that amazing island, Roy retired in May 2016 from a long career in shipping. Now, instead of settling down and waiting to get old in just one place, we've devised a plan that includes exploring the waterways of France on our new boat, Karanja. And as Verne doesn't do winter, we'll spend the rest of the time between Singapore, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand - and whatever other interesting places beckon. Those round-the-world air-tickets look to be incredible value...

What do you say?

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.