Bunny chow is a South African dish consisting of a hollowed out loaf of bread filled with curry. To eat this, you break off hunks of the bread-loaf top to sop up the curry within. Though usually with meat, a vegetarian version is often made with “sugar beans,” a local variety of kidney bean. The dish originated in the Indian community of Durban, which is also home to IDEX partner South Durban Community Environmental Alliance (SDCEA).
SDCEA has been working for twenty years in the south Durban area, where rampant industrial pollution has resulted in numerous health problems, including respiratory illnesses and cancer. At SDCEA’s helm is co-founder Desmond D’Sa who was awarded the 2014 Goldman Environmental Prize (also called the “Green Nobel”) for his work rallying south Durban’s disenfranchised communities and successfully shutting down a toxic waste dump that was exposing nearby residents to dangerous chemicals. We at IDEX are very proud to have nominated D’Sa for the Goldman Prize as part of our deep commitment to standing in solidarity with our grassroots partners.
D’Sa has campaigned tirelessly for a community free from the degradation of petrochemical refineries, heavy industry and other corporate polluters. It is no surprise that D’Sa’s ceaseless efforts have led to victories on so many fronts, and recognition on the global scale. D’Sa has now turned his sights on fighting the expansion of Durban’s port, a $10 billion project that stands to displace thousands of people without compensation and exacerbate problems such as waste management, pollution, and traffic.
South African Bunny Chow
1 onion, finely chopped
1 tsp finely chopped fresh ginger
1 tsp finely chopped garlic
1/2 tsp finely chopped green chili
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp red chili powder
1 tsp salt
2 large tomatoes, skinned and finely chopped
1 loaf white bread, unsliced
1 cup dried beans (sugar or kidney, soaked overnight and cooked until soft. You can also use 1 14 oz. can of baked beans)
handful of fresh coriander/cilantro finely chopped
Over a medium to high heat brown the onion in a saucepan and add the ginger, garlic, green chili, cumin, coriander, chili powder and salt. Let the spices cook with the onions for a few minutes until golden. Add the tomatoes and the beans. Lower the heat, cover with a lid and simmer for approximately 15 minutes. Cut the loaf of bread in half widthwise and pull out the soft insides, leaving a third of an inch crust shell. Fill with the bean curry and garnish with fresh coriander. You can also make a lid for your bean bunny by putting the scooped out dough on top.
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