The South African street food made from a hollowed-out loaf filled with curry is bunny chow. It is a Durban specialty in which curry is served inside a quarter, half, or full loaf of white bread.
Bunny chow developed among Indian South Africans in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal. Its precise origin is disputed, but the dish is generally dated to the 1940s. The bread provided a practical container for carrying curry, especially where roti was unavailable or unsuitable for takeaway food.
Traditional fillings include mutton, chicken, beans, and other curries. The original version is often described as vegetarian, while modern shops offer many meat-based variations. A bunny is commonly eaten with the fingers, allowing the curry gravy to soak into the bread.
Despite its name, bunny chow contains no rabbit. The name is often linked to banias, an Indian merchant caste, though other origin stories exist. Samosas and boerewors rolls are separate foods, while a Gatsby is a different South African sandwich.