This is yet another interesting recipe from the Rainbow nation. This dish bears a striking resemblance to our dear Pav Bhaji, in terms of how this was created. As I have mentioned in my earlier post, there has been a large settlement of Indians in South Africa due to the colonization of European powers. This eventually led to including Indian flavours in the local cuisine. There are many interesting narratives as to how this dish has evolved. One of which is, the Indian settlers, in the Durban community, known as Banias worked in the sugar cane plantations and as an economical way to carry their lunch, these people hollowed out bread loafs and carried their curry. During the great depression in the 1940's, this became more popular as a street food, as the common man found this to be inexpensive and efficient.
- 2 tablespoon Oil
- 1 inch Cinnamon stick
- 2 no's Bay leaves
- 1 no's Star anise
- 1 Cup finely chopped Onions
- 2 no's Big garlic cloves, minced
- 1 inch Ginger piece, minced
- 2 no's Green chillies, slit lengthwise
- Few Curry leaves
- 2 cups finely diced Tomatoes
- 2 teaspoon Durban masala / Curry powder
- 1 teaspoon Paprika
- Salt to taste
- 1.5 cups cooked chickpeas
- 2 no's small sized potatoes, chopped
- Water as needed
- Cibatta bread / Loaf bread Refer notes 1
- Heat oil in a pan. Add the cinnamon sticks, bay leaves and star anise. Once they bloom and splutter, add the chopped onions and sauté until it is browned (without burning it)
- Then add the minced ginger, garlic, chillies and curry leaves. Give a quick stir.
- Add the tomatoes, curry powder and paprika and some salt.
- Cook until the tomatoes become soft and tender. Keep stirring in between.
- Then, add the cooked chickpeas. Mix well. Check for salt and adjust if needed. You can also add some water if the gravy is very dry. Do not dilute it.
- Simmer it for five more minutes and garnish with coriander leaves.
Hollow out a bread. Scoop some curry. and serve. If interested for some more twist, top it with curd, sliced tomatoes and Onions.
- Traditionally a loaf bread is used. It is halved and you make each half as a bowl by scooping out the bread from the center.
- This gravy is meat based (minced meat). So, the vegetarian version is not authentic and there are so many variation to the veg version. Some add chickpeas and potatoes, some add veggies like pepper and carrots as well. So, the veg version is upto the makers preference.
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Priya Srinivasan says
Stunning presentation! will definitely try this! wholesome meal! 🙂
Srivalli says
Ah those bunny chow look so inviting..read so much about this dish, yet to make it myself..
Harini-Jaya R says
Such a beautiful presentation of the fusion food!
Suma Gandlur says
Love your setup and presentation of these curry filled buns.
Pavani N says
Love this curry filled buns. Spicy & delicious.
Priya Suresh says
Omg, such a beautiful dish and durban curry powder sounds fabulous. Lovely presentation there Nisha.
Srividhya Gopalakrishnan says
Love the presentation and durban curry powder sounds interesting. Need to look for it.
Gayathri Kumar says
This is such a beautiful preparation with bread. Looks super inviting..