Looking for the roots of Kedgeree reveals that it originated from an Indian dish consisting of lentils, rice, fried onions, spices and ginger known as khichiri, dating back to the 1300s and eaten across India. No mention of fish or boiled eggs though is there, just sounds like spicy rice. So when we Brits arrived on a colonial high and set about changing everything some bright Raj spark must have thought it was crying out for fish and eggs and to be on the breakfast menu.
Victorians loved heavy complicated breakfasts, God knows how they had the time to forge an empire after stuffing that lot down. Yet Kedgeree has outlasted the empire and become a much loved dinner or supper meal for us modern hipsters.
Some Gen Z types may decry kedgeree as a blatant example of cultural appropriation, a dreadful abberation of our colonial past, Well you could look at it like that, but the reality is we’ve been borrowing, adapting and reinventing dishes from all around the world for a very long time. To single out kedgeree feels like bullying, so here is my recipe for this delicious meal. Oh and I don’t really like boiled eggs so feel free to leave them out as well, they don’t contribute to the flavour in any meaningful way. Probably just Victorian padding as the fish wouldn’t go round.
Smoked Haddock
To dye or not to dye? Ever wondered why smoked haddock is yellow? It’s not because the smoking has turned it that colour, it’s just been dyed to make it stand out in the shops. Your fishmonger will be able to offer some natural undyed fillets, if you haven’t got a fishmonger just get the yellow stuff from Tesco, it won’t kill anyone.
Spices
You can go to town with spice, The Hairy Bikers rev it up with a blend of cumin, turmeric, garam masala, and coriander. Their kedgeree also incorporates garlic, ginger, and chicken stock for depth, garnished with parsley and lemon juice. Or you can keep it simple like Jamie Oliver and just use 2 tablespoons of curry powder, although he’ll ruin it all by shouting ‘bosh’ and flinging it across the room.
I go for the curry powder rather than mixing my own – you’re replicating what’s in it anyway.
Rice
James Martin uses long grain rice for some unknown reason, just to be different probably. Stick to basmati as its fluffiness suits the dish so well.
Kedgeree Recipe
Ingredients
50g ghee or butter
750g un-dyed smoked haddock fillet
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 tbsp curry powder
450g basmati rice
1 litre chicken stock or fish stock
1 bayleaf
3 eggs
2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
1 lemon to garnish
Method
Melt the ghee in a pan and then soften the onion for 5 minutes at least, don’t let it colour. Add the curry powder, give it a stir and then add the rice so it soaks up the butter. Pour in the stock and give it a pinch of salt. Cook on a low heat untill fluffy.
Meanwhile poach the haddock in water, or milk if you’re feeling luxurious, with the bayleaf for 4 or 5 minutes. Remove it from the pan and allow to cool a bit before flaking it up with a fork, ditch the skin if it has any as well.
Add the flaked fish to the pan and mix together to warm through. If you must use eggs add them now (after you’ve hardboiled them of course). Stir through the parsley and seve with lemon wedges.
Images: Adobe Stock
