Bol Renversé: The Classic Mauritian “Upside-Down Bowl”

Bol Renversé (pronounced bol rawn-verse), also known as bol deviré or upside-down bowl, is one of the most famous dishes from Mauritius. It most likely originated under Chinese culinary influences. Some say it comes from China, while others insist it’s unique to Mauritius. One thing is certain—this dish is absolutely delicious and beautifully presented.The presentation is really what makes it special. The layers are assembled in a bowl: first a fried egg, then meat with vegetables in sauce, and finally cooked rice. Cover the bowl with a plate and flip it over—and you get a neat, attractive mound 🙂.It doesn’t really matter what kind of meat, vegetables, or sauce you use. A sweet-and-sour sauce, which is very popular in Poland, works perfectly too. I found the recipe on Herve Cuisine 🙂.Most importantly: I made this dish together with my friend Lise Ruiz, who is from Mauritius. Merci, Lise! 🙂  Ingredients (serves 4):

• 2 single chicken breasts
• 4 servings of cooked rice
• 4 eggs
• 1 small napa cabbage or bok choy
• 1 carrot
• ½ pack dried wood ear mushrooms (mun mushrooms)
• 1 jar baby corn
• 1 can bamboo shoots
• 1 bunch chives or spring onions
• 2 garlic cloves, pressed
• 2 cm piece of fresh ginger, grated
• Soy sauce
• Sesame oil
• Oyster sauce
• 1 tsp cornstarch or potato starch

Instructions:Prepare the mushrooms: Soak the dried mushrooms in warm water for about 15 minutes.Marinate the chicken: Cut the chicken into small pieces. Combine with garlic, ginger, 1 tbsp soy sauce, and 1 tsp sesame oil. Set aside in a cool place to marinate.Prepare the vegetables: Slice the cabbage, carrot, mushrooms, and chives into thin strips.Cook the chicken: Heat some sesame oil in a large pan or wok. Add the chicken and 1 tbsp soy sauce, and stir-fry until cooked. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside.Cook the vegetables: In a large bowl, mix 2 tbsp soy sauce, 2 tbsp oyster sauce, 2 tbsp water, and 1 tbsp cornstarch. Add the vegetables and toss to coat. Stir-fry over high heat for about 3 minutes, constantly stirring. Add the cooked chicken and heat through, then set aside.Assemble the bowls: Prepare 4 medium-sized bowls. Fry the eggs sunny-side up. Place one fried egg at the bottom of each bowl. Next, add the chicken and vegetable mixture so that it reaches about halfway up the bowl. Fill the remainder with cooked rice. Cover each bowl with a plate, then carefully invert the bowl onto the plate so that the contents are “upside down.” Serve this way—each person uncovers their own bowl at the table.