Did you know?
The aristocrats of the British Raj added more expensive ingredients, like salmon and veal, to their versions of kedgeree
Ingredients
50g ghee (or butter) 1 medium onion 3 cardamom pods, bruised 1 tsp of ground turmeric 1 tsp of curry powder 1 small cinnamon stick 1 dried bay leaf (or two fresh) 450g basmati rice 1 litre of chicken or fish stock (fresh if possible) 750g smoked haddock fillet 3 eggs 3 tbsp chopped fresh parsley 1 lemon, cut into wedges
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Kedgeree is a fascinating example of how Indian cuisine was adopted and adapted by British people living and working in India and then exported back home. Indian spices began appearing in Britain from the 18th century, becoming more widely available through the next century. A hugely popular dish, the first kedgeree recipe has been traced to 1790.
It appears to be an interpretation of a classic South Asian dish, khichri or khichdi. The Sanskrit name for the dish, khiccā, can be traced back to the 4th century BCE. It would typically be made with rice and pulses (often lentils), but would vary greatly based on region and season due to availability of ingredients. This anglicised version adds smoked fish and eggs, common elements on a British breakfast table.
METHOD
01 Melt the ghee in a large saucepan that has a lid and then add the chopped onion, cooking over a medium heat for about five minutes. You want the onion to soften but not brown.
02 Stir in the cardamom pods, turmeric, curry powder, cinnamon stick and bay leaves. Allow these to warm up for about a minute until they become aromatic.
03 Add the rice and stir well until it is coated in butter and spices.
04 Pour in the chicken or fish stock and add a little salt. Stir once to release the rice from the bottom of the pan, reduce heat to low and cover the pan. Cook for 12 minutes.
05 In a second, shallow pan, bring some water to the boil and add the smoked haddock. Simmer for four minutes or until the fish is just cooked. Remove from pan to allow to cool.
06 Hard boil the eggs for 8 minutes. Once the fish is cool enough to handle, break it into flakes, discarding any skin and bone. Drain the eggs and cool slightly before peeling and slicing.
07 Back to the rice, remove the bay leaves, cinnamon stick and cardamom pods. Add the fish and eggs, stirring them in gently. Cover again and allow to heat through for two to three minutes.
08 Stir in the chopped parsley, season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve with lemon wedges – lime pickle is also a nice accompaniment.
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