Bunny Chow (Durban Chicken Curry in a Loaf)

Method

1. Make the carrot sambal first so the flavours can mingle: mix the grated carrot, green chilli, vinegar and the salt for the sambal in a small bowl and set aside. Then prep everything else before you turn on the heat: chop the onion finely, crush the garlic, grate the ginger, grate the tomatoes on a box grater (discard the skins), cut the chicken into 3 cm pieces and the potatoes into 3 cm cubes. Keep the potatoes in cold water so they don't turn brown.

   Add in this stepCarrot, coarsely grated (for the sambal) 100 gGreen chilli, finely chopped (for the sambal) 1White vinegar (for the sambal) 2 tspSalt ⅛ tsp

2. Heat the oil in a 20 cm heavy pot over medium heat. Add the cinnamon, star anise, cardamom, fennel seeds and curry leaves and let them sizzle for 1 min until fragrant (stand back: curry leaves spit). Add the onion and cook for 7 min, stirring often, until soft and light golden.

   Add in this stepVegetable oil 2 tbspCinnamon stick (3 cm piece) 1Star anise 1Green cardamom pods 3Fennel seeds ½ tspCurry leaves (fresh, optional) 8Onion, finely chopped 1

   medium heat

3. Turn the heat down to medium-low heat. Add the garlic and ginger and stir for a few seconds, then add the curry powder, chilli powder and turmeric with 2 tablespoons of water so the spices don't burn, and stir for 1 min 30 sec. Add the grated tomatoes and cook for 5 min, stirring, until the mixture is thick and jammy and the oil starts to separate at the edges.

   Add in this stepGarlic cloves, crushed 3Fresh ginger, grated 10 gHot curry powder (Durban masala) 1½ tbspKashmiri chilli powder (or mild chilli powder) ¾ tspGround turmeric ½ tspRipe tomatoes, grated 1½

   medium-low heat

4. Turn up to medium-high heat, add the chicken and the salt and stir well so every piece is coated in the masala. Cook for 5 min, turning the pieces, until the outside of the chicken is no longer pink.

   Add in this stepBoneless chicken thighs, in 3 cm pieces 300 gSalt 0.6 tsp

   medium-high heat

5. Drain the potatoes and add them with the water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then lower to medium-low heat, cover and simmer for 22 min, stirring now and then so nothing sticks. It's ready when a knife slides easily into the potatoes and the chicken is cooked through with no pink inside (75 °C in the thickest piece). The gravy should be thick enough to coat a spoon: if it is runny, simmer uncovered for a few more minutes; if it is too thick, add a splash of water.

   Add in this stepPotatoes, in 3 cm cubes 240 gWater 250 ml

   high heat→medium-low heat

6. Turn off the heat and stir in the garam masala and the coriander, keeping a little for the top. Leave the curry to rest, covered, for 3 min so the flavours settle and the gravy thickens slightly. Taste and add a little more salt if needed.

   Add in this stepGaram masala ½ tspFresh coriander, chopped 5 g

7. Cut the loaf into quarters. With a small knife, cut a square into the soft side of each quarter, leaving walls and a base about 1.5 cm thick, and pull out the bread in one piece: this is the lid, so keep it. Ladle the hot curry into each quarter right to the top, put the lid on, sprinkle with the remaining coriander and serve straight away with the carrot sambal. Eat it with your hands, tearing off the walls to dip into the gravy.

   Add in this stepUnsliced white sandwich loaf (one quarter per person) 2