The OG Brothy Rice & Me
A little about me, and a recipe that brings me comfort- obv, the OG brothy rice.
I’ve wanted to write a newsletter for so long - partly because I have the need to yap, but also because I think it’s an amazing way to connect with lots of people (on a level that instagram or websites, just don’t allow you to).
My name is Chloe, I’m a food editor and recipe developer based in London. I’m from the Seychelles, but was born and raised in Geneva. Despite living (practically my whole life) in Switzerland, my parents made it their absolute mission to teach me everything they could about the Seychelles, our culture and who we are.
I grew up with my parents speaking to me in Seychellois creole, my mum was the cook in our family, and even if we didn’t have access to all the same ingredients they have in the tropics, she found all the alternatives she could and made incredible food that taught me everything I need to know about our flavours and the influences found in our cuisine.
If you don’t know much about Geneva, it’s a city in french speaking Switzerland, bordering France. The population is incredibly diverse, and that’s where my curiosity for all kinds of foods, ingredients and cultures was really sparked. I grew up going to friends’ houses, being fed by their parents and learning about where they come from, customs and new flavours every single time - that, along with the food my mum was cooking is what shaped my philosophy and what I love the most about what I do.
Anyways - now, onto the star of the show, the recipe:
This is the OG brothy rice.
My mum made a variation of bouyon bred every single week. Of course, when I was younger, she would have to sift out all the greens, ginger, garlic and onion for me to eat just the broth with my rice, but now, this is my ultimate form of comfort.
Bouyon bred is usually made with moringa, amaranth leaves, or morning glory… but since those aren’t that readily available here, my go to is watercress (kreson).
This recipe is super simple, quick and incredibly versatile - if you can boil water, you can’t mess this up. Eat it simply, or top it with whatever protein or veg you want.
Bouyon Bred Kreson
Notes: You can also use your favourite stock cube/stock to make the base of this recipe. It also works superbly with chicken stock.
Serves: 2-3
Ingredients:
100g Watercress, roughly chopped if large
5g Ginger, finely grated
2 Cloves of Garlic, finely grated
1 Shallot, finely diced
1 Bouillon Cube (like Maggi)
400ml Water
250-300g Cooked Rice, to serve
Method:
Make sure your rice is cooked, before starting.
Place a saucepan over medium-high heat with a drizzle of oil. Once hot, add the ginger, garlic, and shallot, stir-fry until softened and lightly browned.
Add the water to the mixture along with the bouillon cube. Bring it to a boil and let it gently simmer for 10-15 minutes until infused.
Drop the watercress into the broth, bring to the boil, stir until wilted and remove from the heat, taste and season with salt and pepper, if needed.
Serve as much rice as you’d like into a bowl and ladle the bouyon over.
Deliciousssss