Bol Reverse

Tonight's dish from Mauritius follows a recipe that's heavily influenced by the Chinese. It's on the lighter side and doesn't leave us with a ton of leftovers, which is good since we're preparing tomorrow's dinner with friends. (That recipe is a decadent, luxurious meal. You don't want to miss it!)

So, tonight we'll go easy on the bellies and budgets.

Bol Reverse is a simple, balanced, affordable dish that's easy to make and fun to plate. Here's how I made mine, which serves 4:

2-3 Tbsp canola oil

3-4 chicken breasts, cut into strips

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 Tbsp tamari

2 Tbsp oyster sauce

1 tsp cornstarch

1 large shallot, minced
Cracked black pepper, to taste
1 cup fresh cremini mushrooms, sliced
2 small bok choy, sliced into strips
Salt, to taste
4 eggs
3-4 cups brown rice, cooked according to the package
Fresh cilantro, basil or parsley, chopped, for garnish

In a bowl, mix the chicken strips with the tamari, garlic and black pepper. In a small glass, combine the oyster sauce and cornstarch. Set both mixtures aside.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet or wok. Sauté the shallots till soft. Add the chicken mixture and cook for a few minutes, then add the mushrooms, bok choy and salt (see notes below). Keep the pan fairly hot, so the moisture from the vegetables evaporates. Sauté for a few more minutes before adding the oyster sauce mixture. Lower the heat and simmer till the chicken is cooked and the sauce thickens, stirring occasionally.

In a separate pan, fry the eggs to your liking. When they're ready, carefully slide them into 4 cereal or soup bowls. Top the eggs with some of the chicken mixture, then finish filling them with the rice. Invert the contents of each bowl onto a plate, garnish with the herbs, and enjoy!

Cook's Notes: If you like your eggs sunny-side up, try to splash a little oil onto the yolks to harden them just enough so they won't break or top each portion with the egg after they're plated. Shiitake mushrooms would be great in this, but we had creminis on hand. The oyster sauce and tamari already contain salt, so you may not need more. Try using sea salt, which has less sodium. You also can use regular soy sauce instead of tamari, or replace the oyster sauce with red or rice wine to lighten it up even more.