Cookbook:Kedgeree (Rice and Smoked Fish)

Kedgeree (Rice and Smoked Fish)
Category	Rice recipes
Servings	3–4
Time	30–40 minutes
Difficulty

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Kedgeree (or occasionally kitcherie, kitchari or kitchiri) is a dish consisting of flaked fish (usually smoked haddock), boiled rice, eggs and butter. It originated amongst the British colonials in India hence was introduced to the United Kingdom as a popular English breakfast in Victorian times, part of the then-fashionable Anglo-Indian cuisine. During that time, fish was often served for colonial breakfasts so that fish caught in the early morning could be eaten while it was still fresh. It is rarely eaten for breakfast now, but is still a popular dish.

Ingredients

• 1–2 cups Basmati or long-grain white rice (see notes)
• 2–4 cups decent quality low-sodium chicken stock
• 1 bay leaf
• 500 g (1 lb) smoked haddock
• 3 medium shallots or 1 medium onion, chopped fairly fine
• Liberal amounts of unsalted butter
• As much garlic as you can handle, minced or put through a garlic press
• 6 hard boiled eggs, chopped fairly fine
• At least 3 tsp of prepared English mustard (1½ tsp of dry mustard)
• Enough finely-chopped parsley or cilantro to add interest and colour
• Fresh-ground pepper
• Curry powder (optional)
• Heavy cream
• Salt

Procedure

1. Cook the rice in one and a half the amount of chicken stock with the bay leaf. When it is done and keeping warm, discard the bay leaf, fluff the rice with chopsticks, and place the raw smoked haddock slab on top. Close the lid and let the haddock steam on warm for 15 minutes.
2. Remove the haddock, and flake with forks to get rid of every last trace of bone. Place the haddock back with the rice.
3. Sauté the shallots in excess butter until light brown. Add the garlic, and cook for 1 minute more, making sure to not brown it. Transfer mixture to the rice.
4. Add the eggs, mustard, parsley, pepper, curry powder, and enough cream to make everything just slightly creamy. Mix it all up, gently and thoroughly (chopsticks are perfect for this). Season with salt to taste.
5. Serve immediately or later—it keeps well.

Notes, tips, and variations

• A rice cooker is not essential, but makes the whole thing brainless. 1 cup of rice will yield a dish that is dense with egg and haddock; 2 cups will give you a dish with a more Asian proportion of rice.
• The addition of 3–4 cloves and a few cardamom seeds to the rice whilst it is cooking, plus the addition of a level teaspoon of cumin powder to the finished product, gives the rice a wonderful aroma.
• Leftovers may be served in kedgeree omelettes with a dribble of soy sauce or Worcestershire sauce.
• Haddock is traditional. Smoked anything can substitute it.
• Cartoned organic stock is much superior, but home-made still beats all comers.