Durban Beef Bunny Chow

Name: Durban Beef Bunny Chow
Total time: 2 h
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: South African
Ingredients: 1½ lb beef chuck, in 1-inch cubes; 1 lb potatoes, in 1-inch cubes; 1 onion, chopped; 2 Roma tomatoes, chopped; 4 garlic cloves, minced; 1 tbsp grated ginger; 1 green chili, slit; 4 sturdy hoagie rolls, or 1 unsliced white loaf quartered; 2 carrots, grated; a handful of cilantro; 3 tbsp oil; 1 cinnamon stick; 3 cardamom pods; 1 star anise; 1 tsp fennel seeds; 1 tsp cumin seeds; 2 tbsp garam masala; 1 tbsp curry powder; 1 tsp turmeric; 1 tsp cayenne; 1 tbsp vinegar; salt

DinnerSouth African120 minServes 4840 kcal45 g protein

Durban's famous street meal: a fiery, thick beef and potato curry ladled into a hollowed-out loaf, with the scooped bread on top for dipping. Usually mutton; beef chuck is the common swap.

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Ingredients

1½ lb beef chuck, in 1-inch cubes
1 lb potatoes, in 1-inch cubes
1 onion, chopped
2 Roma tomatoes, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp grated ginger
1 green chili, slit
4 sturdy hoagie rolls, or 1 unsliced white loaf quartered
2 carrots, grated
a handful of cilantro

From your pantry: 3 tbsp oil, 1 cinnamon stick, 3 cardamom pods, 1 star anise, 1 tsp fennel seeds, 1 tsp cumin seeds, 2 tbsp garam masala, 1 tbsp curry powder, 1 tsp turmeric, 1 tsp cayenne, 1 tbsp vinegar, salt.

Instructions

Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium. Fry the cinnamon, cardamom, star anise, fennel and cumin seeds for 30 seconds, then the onion until golden, 8 minutes.
Stir in the garam masala, curry powder, turmeric and cayenne and fry 1 minute until they stick to the pot. Add the tomatoes and scrape up the bottom, then the garlic, ginger and chili.
Add the beef with 1 tsp salt and 2 cups water. Cover and simmer gently until the beef is almost tender, about 1 hour.
Add the potatoes and simmer uncovered until tender and the gravy is thick enough not to soak through bread, 25 to 30 minutes. Season with salt.
Toss the carrots with the vinegar and a pinch of salt. Cut a lid from each roll and scoop out the soft middle, leaving thick walls. Fill with curry, replace the lid and serve with the carrot salad and cilantro.

Tip: Authentic Durban curry uses curry leaves and a fiery 'Durban masala' blend; add 10 curry leaves with the whole spices if you find them at an Indian grocer.