Bunny chow, often referred to as a bunny, is a South African fast food dish consisting of a hollowed-out loaf of bread filled with curry. It originated in the Durban Indian community. The precise origins of the food are disputed, although its creation has been dated to the 1940s.
Stories of the origin of bunny chow date as far back as the migrant Indian workers arrival in South Africa. One account suggests that migrant workers from India who were brought to South Africa to work the sugar cane plantations of Kwazulu-Natal (Port Natal) required a way of carrying their lunches to the field, so, a hollowed-out loaf of bread was a convenient way to transport their vegetarian curries. Meat based fillings came later. The use of a loaf of bread can also be ascribed to the lack of the traditional roti bread, in the absence of which a loaf of bread would be acceptable as an accompaniment to curry.