Bred is a Seychellois Creole word that refers to a large variety of the tender leaves and shoots of some edible plants that are used as leaf vegetables and are commonly known as ‘greens’ or at times spinach ,although spinach is a name that applies to a specific vegetable. In Réunion Island it is known as ‘brèdes’. The word bred is of Portuguese in origin and derives from ‘bredo’ or ‘brada’, meaning ‘green leaves that are eaten boiled’. It was introduced to Africa and subsequently to the Indian Ocean Islands by the Portuguese sailors, who were the first Europeans to establish settlements around Africa.
The main bred that are consumed in the Seychelles are the bred mouroum, bred lanmar, bred paryater, bred martin, bred soudsin, bred sousout, bred zironmon, bred mayok, cresson or watercress and bred gondole.
The most popular of all greens is the bred mouroum ( Moringa Pterygosperma) also known as bred pti fey, because of its small leaves. In Seychelles we use the tender leaves, mainly in soups and chutneys. It has the delicate taste and texture of a marrow
What is Bred Mouroum?
Bred Mouroum derives from Moringa (Moringa Pterygosperma) – which in turn derives from a Tamil word ‘murungai’ meaning “twisted pod”, alluding to the young fruit. Other common names include drumstick tree (from the long, slender, bean-like seed-pods resembling a drumstick), horseradish tree (from the taste of the roots, which resembles horseradish), and ben oil tree or benzolive tree (from the oil which is derived from the seeds).
The Moringa Tree
The moringa is a fast-growing, almost indestructible , drought-resistant deciduous tree that can reach a height of 10–12m. It is an incredible plant that has been used throughout Africa, Asia and the Asia Pacific for thousands of years, both as a form of rich nourishment and sustenance and for medical purposes. It was introduced in the Seychelles early during settlement and is grown in most backyard.
The moringa tree is a time described as a sort of supermarket on a trunk, it yields at least four different edibles: pods, leaves, seeds, and roots. And beyond edibles, it provides products that make village life in many countries more self-sufficient: lubricating oil, lamp oil, wood, paper, liquid fuel, skin treatments, and the means to help purify water, to name but a few. The living tree, itself, also provides such things as shade, landscaping, and shelter from the elements. As stated before, in Seychelles, it is the leaves that are mostly consumed and this post we will therefore focus on the leaves because it is the main ingredient in the bouyon.
The Moringa Leaves
The foliage of the moringa is fernlike, with myriad tiny leaves produced in abundance through most of the year. The leaves are tear-drop shaped, averaging 1-2 centimeters in length and .5-1 centimeter in width. The vibrant green feathery leaves are smooth, thick, and firm. Moringa leaves offer a slightly bitter flavour with grass-like undertones and can often have a horseradish-like heat. During the cooking process, they release a distinct grassy aroma.
Harvesting, selection and storage
If you have a Moringa tree in your backyard, you can always harvest a bunch of young fresh leaves. They are more flavourful and cooks fast. Otherwise buy the green leaves from the Asian markets if available.
If you are harvesting from your backyard, the best time for harvesting is early in the morning to prevent excess evaporation. You can use a sharp knife and cut the young leaf stems, or you can snap the stems at the nodes or just tear a few branches off. All methods you decide to use will promote the development of new shoots.
If you have the opportunity to buy fresh leaves always ensure that they are light-green in colour and avoid those with dull/sunken leaves, yellow discoloration, and spots. Once at home, wash them thoroughly in clean running water, in order to remove dirt and any insecticide residues.
Although it can be stored in the refrigerator for up to a week, fresh leaves should be eaten at the earliest in order to get maximum nutrition benefits. They lose moisture quickly after harvesting and tend to wilt easily and lose fragrance. It will spoil very easily if they are stored tightly together.
The Moringa Flowers and Buds
The flowers or blossoms and buds are both edible and can also be used in the bouyon. The flowers are fragrant and surrounded by five unequal, thinly veined, yellowish-white petals and are about 1.0–1.5 cm long and 2.0 cm broad. They grow on slender, hairy stalks in spreading or drooping flower clusters which have a length of 10–25 cm. They can be harvested at any time, but younger flowers are better, quality wise and are considered a delicacy in many countries. They contain good amount of both calcium and potassium. Some people say that they taste like mushrooms!
The buds are the unopened flowers and have a soft, delicate texture and a taste quite distinctly their own. The best way to describe it is: tender, mild, succulent, and juicy.
Preparation of the Leaves
Preparing the bred mouroum leaves requires a bit of patience, because you have to carefully pick each leaf individually from its petiole, which is the stalk that attaches the leaf blade to the stem. The petioles are not digestible.
A tip that may assist in this process is to insert the small twigs of the bred in a plastic bag and place them in a fridge overnight and shake them vigorously the next day while still in the bag. The cold tends to dislodge some of the leaves away from the petioles shortening the preparation process.
Traditionally this process, in order for it to become less tedious, is conducted while taking part in gossiping; while watching a domino game or just having a general chat… Once the leaves have been picked they are washed and drained and kept for the next stage.
The medicinal Value of the moringa leaves
Although the leaves are slightly bitter, they are the most nutritious part of the plant, being a significant source of B vitamins, vitamin C, provitamin A as beta-carotene, vitamin K, manganese, and protein. When compared gram for gram with common foods particularly high in certain nutrients, the moringa leaves show some surprising results. For example, it has 4 times the vitamin A of carrots; 7 times the vitamin C of oranges; 4 times the calcium of milk; 3 times the potassium of bananas; 3/4 the iron of spinach and 2 times the protein of yogurt.
Bred Lanmar- Marsh Spinach
The bred lanmar or marsh spinach, which is of the sweet potato family, consists of two varieties. One has pale green, triangular-shaped leaves with thick hollow stems and the other variety has deeper green leaves and thinner hollowed stems. In Seychelles they are both eaten as a salad after a slight poaching, in bouyon and is also stir-fried. It blends well with pork belly.
Bred Paryater or Green Amaranth
The bred Paryater or green amaranth, is an annual herb with an upright, light green stem that grows to about 60–80 cm in height. It also has clusters of nutty edible seeds, which can be eaten as snacks or used in biscuits. It grows wild on all the islands and is a very popular spinach, the leaves and tender shoots of which are used mainly in soups and bouyon pwason or fish broth
Bred Martin or Black Nightshade
The bred martin or black nightshade (Solanum nigrum), named after the local mynah birds that relish on their berries, is a bred that grows wild , and not very popular. I think the main reason for this is that there are other plants in the same family that closely resemble the black nightshade that are toxic and the locals tend to stay keep away from it just in case they pick the wrong one and end up getting sick. The berries are dull black or purple-black and are also not eaten locally, although they are consumed in most Asian Countries and also in North America. The leaves have a strong and slightly bitter flavour and are usually locally cooked in a bouyon with fried fish.
Bred Soudsin or Chinese Cabbage
Bred soudsin or Chinese cabbage is a green, leafy vegetable that is one of the most popular vegetable across the world including the Seychelles. It has a very versatile and delicate flavor which satisfies the taste buds of every individual. Chinese cabbage has crinkly, thickly veined leaves that are cream-colored with celadon green tips. Always choose firm, tightly packed heads with crisp, green-tipped leaves. You can stir-fry it, steam it and boil it but in Seychelles it is very popular cooked in a fish bouyon, and is very refreshing especially in the evenings. It is also a good source of vitamin A, folic acid and potassium.
Bred Sousout– Tender Shoots of Choko Vine
Bred sousout, is the tender shoots and leaves of the choko vine. Used in coconut ocurry or in fish bouyon, although it is also ideal in stir-fries.
Bred Zironmon- Tender Leaves of the Pumpkin Vine
Bred zironmon is the tender shoots and leaves of the pumpkin vine. It lacks any bitterness that other greens tend to have. In fact, it has quite a sweetish flavour. This bred has to be prepared properly before cooking. If you take a very close look pumpkin leaves you will notice little “thorns” along the spine. These thorns are softer the closer you are to the tip of the shoot. This is why you need to only use the very young leaves and shoots. Younger leaves are more tender and ideal for cooking.
If you feel that you want to remove the ‘thorns’ this is how you do it. Hold the leaf upside down by its stem and you will see that the stem is hollow. Use your thumbnail to split half or a third of the stem and snap it backward so that the flesh breaks cleanly, but the outer fibers do not. Pull gently, removing the fibers from the outside of the stem and the back of the leaf. Repeat until you have de-strung a good pile, because, like all bred, pumpkin leaves cook down quite a bit.
It is almost impossible to get a 100% thorn free leaf and shoot, so don’t spend too much time seeking perfection. Try and remove only the hardier ‘thorns’. Thoroughly wash the leaves before slicing or tearing them into small strips. Your pumpkin leaves are now ready for cooking.
Bred Mayok – Tender Leaves of the Cassava Plant
Bred mayok is the tender leaves of the cassava plant. Cassava leaves contain cyanide and research has shown that traditional methods for preparing cassava leaves for consumption, that include grinding, cooking and heat-treating them before consumption sufficiently detoxify the cyanide. In Seychelles they are mainly used as an extra ingredient in fish curry cooked in coconut milk. The leaves are plucked from the leaf stalk and roughly chopped and added to the curry. In most African countries they are also used in the making of different sauces or as a vegetable. They contain fibre, vitamins, proteins, minerals and essential amino acids.
Watercress- Breds Cresson
The cresson or watercress is a rapidly growing, aquatic or semi-aquatic plant that used to grow in the backyard of most household on the islands. They were usually grown next to the bay, which was a half drum that was located under a bamboo tap or a ladal next to kitchen. The bay, which was a necessity before the advent of piped water, was used to hold water for all household requirements like dish washing, fish cleaning as well as washing of clothes. The water that drained from it would provide all the nutrients for healthy watercress.
In Seychelles the watercress is used in salads as well as in soup. The traditional watercress soup is always clear with chopped up watercress and can also have fried fish added to it. The soup is never blended or creamy. It is a soup that tends to retain heat for a long time. This may be due to its hollow stems.
Watercress is a mineral-rich green leafy vegetable with many health benefits.
Bred Gondol or Malabar Spinach
The Bred gondol or Malabar Spinach is a tropical climbing vine with purplish stems and dark green leaves with pink veins. It is quite popular vegetable in many tropical countries of Asia, Africa and South America. The cooked leaves are mucilaginous with slightly slippery texture. It was well known at one stage in Seychelles and has now almost disappeared from the kitchen of the islanders although gaining popularity in other parts of the world especially in Asia.
Bred Malbar or Agati
Another plant that is used as a bred and the seeds and flowers of which are also cooked and eaten is bred malbar or Agati. It is a fast-growing tree, the leaves of which are regular and rounded and the flowers white or red. The fruits look like flat, long, thin green beans. The tree is widely grown on the islands but the leaves are used only by some locals of Indian origin. In fact the leaves and branches are mostly fed to the animals!
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