Fry all the spices from star anise to onion until the onion is glassy.
Add the garam masala, coriander, ground pepper, and turmeric. Then add the tomatoes and stir until everything sticking to the bottom of the pot comes loose.
Add the meat, ginger, garlic, and curry leaves.
Simmer for an hour or more until the meat is tender and about half of the liquid has cooked down, then add the potato cubes.
Simmer until potatoes are cooked and the sauce is reasonably thick (like a stew, not a soup).
Meanwhile, prepare the bread; any white bread with a “crunchy” crust will do. It should be an unsliced rectangular loaf with a flat top (known in South Africa as a "government sandwich loaf"). You could cut the bread into two, three, or even four chunks, depending on how hungry the eaters will be. Whatever you decide, with a sharp knife, cut out most of the soft white bread, leaving a thick wall and bottom. Keep the bread you removed.
Ladle the curry into the hollows, add cilantro if using, and then put the bread you removed back on top. You could use this bread to help eat the curry, as "this is ALWAYS eaten with the hands." Enjoy!
