Dads Cook Too: Rod’s Lamb Bunny Chow

Rod with his lamb bunny chow

When I hear the words “Bunny Chow”, I am always taken back to my first experience of eating one at the Workshop (in Durban) with Soraya. It was really good, a bit too hot for my young taste buds, but it didn't stop me from stuffing my face. Although I had never tried it before, I was familiar with what it was, just not the name “Bunny Chow”. That evening, I arrived home to tell my Mom about my first taste of "Rabbit"! My Mom was rather curious and continued to ask me what it was like to eat "Rabbit", and I distinctly remember saying, “Mom! You know what it is; you’ve had it! It’s curry in bread!” Well, by now we all know how bad I am at naming things and my ability to use the wrong phrases; this is just evidence that it started at an early age! This "rabbit-bunny-chow" story is one of Soraya's favourites and is still told and joked about.

I was pretty happy to hear Rodney, Shane’s uncle, was going to be sharing his lamb bunny chow recipe. I know most men love food with a bite, and this is serious “dude food” – dainty knives and forks are not required. I’ve never tasted food from Rodney, but have always heard stories of the mean meals he whips up, and after tasting Irene’s peri-peri chicken livers, I knew there had to be some truth to the stories I heard of Rod’s food and cooking skills.

As I started to eat the bunny chow with Rod, i immediately noticed it didn’t set my taste buds on fire, but it did warm me up and leave a lovely spicy taste in my mouth. It tasted like more, and if you’re a spicy food lover, you’ll know what I mean. While eating and enjoying the company, I soon realised that Rod not only enjoys to eat, he actually enjoys being in the kitchen and getting creative with whatever he is cooking at the time. It is certainly refreshing to see and to hear all the stories of his foodie adventures; he’s even catered for someone’s wedding where he cooked different meats over 7 webers, and also produced delightful veggie dishes on the side! 

 

Rod's Lamb Bunny Chow

Ingredients:

1kg Lamb, cubed

3 Medium Onions, chopped

3 – 4 Medium Tomatoes, chopped

1 Tbs Garlic, crushed

½ Pakko Curry Paste

½ Tbs Hot Masala Powder

2 – 3 Cups boiling water

Salt to taste

2 Tbs Mrs Balls (Hot) Chutney (optional)

2 Tbs Peri-peri Sauce (optional)

½ / 1 Cup Lentils (optional)

Curry leaves

1 Tin Baked Beans (in tomato sauce) (optional)

3 – 4 Potatoes, peeled and quartered

Instruction:

• In a large pot, heat oil and fry onions, until golden brown.

• Add garlic and tomatoes, stir and fry for a minute.

• Add half of the lamb, curry paste, masala powder; make sure all flavours are mixed and the meat is coated. Allow to cook for a minute and a half.

• Add the remaining half of lamb, paste and masala powder; mix.

• Add boiling water, salt to taste, chutney, peri-peri sauce and lentils.

• Keep the heat high, and bring this mixture to the boil; boil for 15 minutes.

• About 5 minutes before the 15 minutes is up, add your potatoes.

• Once the 15 minutes is up, reduce the heat and allow the mixture to simmer for about an hour. Note: add more boiling water if need be.

• Cut an unsliced bread in half or quarter; hallow out the bread (as if making a bread bowl).

• Once the curry is ready, scoop the mixture into the hallowed bread; sprinkle coriander over.