A lot of people have been asking what we mean by “kota” when we are talking about township food. Well, kota, literally translated means, “quarter”, which is a quarter of a loaf. The next question would then be, “why don’t you just call it bunny chow?”.
Well, because, in strictest sense a kota is very different from a bunny chow. The only similarity between the two is that the base is a hollowed out quarter of a loaf of bread. And it must be white bread. As far as I am concerned, and I am sure a lot of people would agree, that is where the similarities end.
The contents of a bunny chow typically consists of different types of curry: mince, lamb, mutton etc. The contents of a kota typically includes a variation of combinations that include chips, atchar, Russian sausage (ekasi we simply call it Russian), cheese, polony and whatever else you fancy. Personally, I find that how you layer these ingredients influences the end result, which is the flavour, the taste that warms your mouth.
So, I tend to prefer smearing the base of the kota with atchar first (all the oils and juices of the atchar get sucked into the bread crust), top this up with chips, then cheese (which is melted by the hot chips), then followed by the polony which somehow seems to cover everything up and kept it warm, then the Russian, which for me is the “cherry” on top, and the “lid” which is the hollowed out dough from the bread. Yummy! I am already salivating so much.
I have seen more modern variations of the kota which include lettuce, and burger patties. I don’t fancy those much. If I want a burger I will go get a burger.
But right now, I think my taste buds are yearning for a good old kota… followed by Fanta grape. Heaven!
Refiloe
