South African cuisine: Tales from the 'Bunny Chow'

Food has a powerful way of connecting and uniting people, even across racial divides. In South Africa during the apartheid era, it was food that brought the disadvantaged and marginalised communities together. Black, Indian and mixed-race people were non-whites who suffered discrimination from the colonial government.

During 1860-1911, Indians arrived in South Africa to work as indentured labourers in the sugarcane plantations of Natal. The majority of the Indians remained there after their 10-year contract ended. During this period, passenger Indians (traders) also immigrated to South Africa.

Indians found an innovative way of retaining the essence of Indian cooking by enhancing it with local flavours. Combining local spices with spices from traders, an Indo-Afro fusion cuisine was born! A culinary taste with a difference, which tantalises the taste buds.

From 1948 to 1994, the colonial government tried to enforce legislation called ‘apartheid’ (‘separateness’). The races were kept separate from each other. South Africa's white minority was privileged when compared with the non-white majority. Races were divided across political, social and economic lines.

The Separate Amenities Act of 1953 legalised the racial segregation of public services. It was illegal for non-whites to enter restaurants and hotels because they were designated ‘whites only’. Dehumanising signage was visible in public spaces as a constant reminder.

The modest ‘Bunny Chow’ reached across racial divides to bring non-whites together. The mouthwatering meal was a culinary delight for all the races. Called a kota (‘quarter’) by the local black population, this soul-satisfying dish soon became a favourite fast food for the masses. The vegetarian ‘kota’ costs around $1, which can also be shared between two people.

The ‘Bunny Chow’ is a quarter loaf of white bread with the insides removed and the hollow part filled with spicy curried meat or vegetables. It swirls in a rich piping hot gravy. You eat it by soaking a piece of bread in the gravy and munching it down with ‘salad’ (grated carrots, chopped onions and green chillies). According to one's spice threshold, hot and mild variations can be ordered.

Licking your fingers is not unusual. Eating a ‘Bunny Chow’ with a knife and fork is taboo – it’s like eating spaghetti with fingers. Once tasted, you will develop a habit for more, except if you are watching your calories. It is not food for the weak stomach.

Reflecting the richness of South African history, there are many stories of how the ‘Bunny Chow’ originated. One version is from the word ‘bhania’, an Indian caste. Roti and rice were not easy to carry to work, so the Indians invented an ingenious idea of filling bread with vegetable curry. ‘Chow’ means fast food.

Another version says that during apartheid, the blacks were not allowed to associate with Indians or enter restaurants. This led non-whites to come up with innovative ideas to defy the apartheid. And Indian restaurant owners wanted ways to keep the black customers happy. The ‘Bunny Chow’, wrapped up in old newspapers as a ‘parcel’, was an easy takeaway that satisfied cravings. As a result, an affinity formed between blacks and Indians that forged deep and long-lasting friendships.

Twenty-four years post-apartheid, the ‘Bunny Chow’ has an identity and a place of national pride in South African cuisine. Each tasty morsel may be a distant reminder of apartheid but when multicultural friends eat together, then local is ‘lekker’ (good) in the Rainbow Nation called South Africa - a home for all.