The origins of the Bunny Chow: Where does it come from?

The origins of the Bunny Chow: Where does it come from?

This is a meal that is part of Durban's DNA.

KZN's Top 5 places to have a Bunny Chow
KZN's Top 5 places to have a Bunny Chow / onmanorama

Aaah, the glorious bunny!

According to The Culture Trip, the bunny chow is part of Durban's DNA. 

Read more: #KZN residents share their favourite places to enjoy a delicious Bunny Chow

As South Africa gears up for Heritage Month, a bunny chow is most definitely a favoured South African dish.

The question is, where exactly does it originate from? Darren, Keri, and Sky recently spoke about it during Darren Maule's Get Fact'd on 11 August.

They returned to the topic this morning and also turned to KZN for input. We think they may have found the origin. Listen to that below.

BARNEY'S SA HERITAGE ROCK & ROLL BUNNY CHOW
BARNEY'S SA HERITAGE ROCK & ROLL BUNNY CHOW/ Supplied

Then there seems to be other theories of how the bunny chow originally came to be. 

Read more: How to make the famous Durban lamb curry bunny chow

One theory is that of a mechanic named Barney, whose wife packaged his lunch in a half loaf so he wouldn't lose her Tupperware. Barney's chow later became Bunny chow. 

Bunny Chow
Bunny chow/ iStock

The exact origins of the Bunny Chow are shrouded in myth and legend, but one school of thought has it that it was invented by a chef at the Queen's Tavern.

Another theory is that it was invented for the Indian caddies at the Royal Durban Golf Course, who were unable to get off from work for long enough to nip into Grey Street for a curry at lunchtime.

Read more: #GetFact'd: Umgeni sand was used to build the Empire State Building! 

The story goes that they got their friends to go and buy the curry for them and that it was brought back to the golf course in hollowed-out loaves of bread, because there were no disposable food containers at the time. 

The explanation that Bunnies were first made in Grey Street does hold a bit of water because the shopkeepers there were known as banias.

Therefore, the phrase Bunny Chow could mean food from the shopkeepers. 

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Main image attribution: Onmanorama

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