Kedgeree is simply packed to the gills (sorry!) with flavour and colour and happy memories of family dinners tucking into this dish together, enjoying the warming flavours of smoked haddock, curry, aromatic cardamom, and fragrant herbs. There’s nothing quite like it.
Kedgeree is thought to have originated with the Indian rice-and-bean or rice-and-lentil dish khichuṛī, traced back to 1340 or even earlier. It’s widely believed that the dish was brought to the United Kingdom by returning British colonials who had enjoyed it in India and introduced it to the UK as a breakfast dish in Victorian times, part of the fashionable Anglo-Indian cuisine. These days, it’s usually only served for lunch or dinner – but don’t let that stop you, if the urge strikes one morning!
Ready in under an hour, this tasty meal is a great option for a family dinner because it’s filling, comforting, and made with fresh and wholesome ingredients. Traditionally served on a single shared plate for family-style eating, this is one meal that’s sure to keep everyone off their phones at the table!
Kedgeree
Ingredients
- 500 g smoked haddock
- 500 ml whole milk to cover the haddock
- 4 cardamom pods
- 1 small cinnamon stick
- 2 cloves
- 2 tbsp mild or hot curry powder to your preference
- 1 large onion
- 1 green chilli left whole
- 1 fresh bay leaf or 2 dried
- 500 g basmati rice rinsed and drained
- 400 ml chicken or vegetable stock
- 2 tbsp salted butter
- 4 hard-boiled eggs
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 1 cup of peas petit pois fresh or frozen
- 1 tsp salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- 1 small handful fresh parsley
- Lemon wedges to serve
Instructions
- Place the haddock in a shallow pan, cover with milk and bring it to a gentle boil, then lower heat, and simmer for 10 minutes
- Drain, set aside to cool, and reserve the poaching liquid for the rice. Flake the haddock when cool
- Rinse the rice, drain and set aside
- Dice the onions quite finely
- Heat the butter in a large saucepan or casserole dish on medium heat and fry the dry spices and bay leaf (cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, bay leaf) for a minute
- Add the onions and fry for a couple of minutes until the onions are soft. Lower the heat slightly if your onions are browning too quickly
- Add the green chilli and curry powder and fry for 30 seconds
- Add the rice and stir to coat thoroughly for about 60 seconds
- Add the stock and 300ml milk, making a total of 700ml of liquid
- Add the salt, stir and bring to a boil
- Cover with a tight-fitting lid, lower the heat right down and simmer for 15 minutes.
- When the rice is done, fluff it with a fork, then add the haddock, lemon juice and peas – then stir everything up gently, cover, and cook on very low heat for another 2 minutes to cook the peas and heat the haddock and eggs
- When done, check the seasoning, add some salt if needed
- Top with some freshly ground black pepper and the chopped fresh parsley or coriander and serve immediately with the wedges of lemon and the quartered boiled eggs
- For a shortcut, use pre-cooked rice or spicy rice pouches that are ready cooked and just require a minute or two in the microwave.
Notes
An original CorningWare classic kitchen staple, with flared rim and wide handles for easy carrying from oven to table.
Safe to use in the oven, microwave, fridge and freezer.
