Nearly six months have passed since last committing one of my kitchen endeavours to Love the Kitchen. I could try and propose some entertaining (or my attempt of it) diatribe of the purely dire, inept, ethically corrupt and self-harming government (Brexit – if in doubt) which has led us into the worst cost of living crisis since the 1940s. It just saddens and angers me deeper to the core. What it has done is zapped me of the creative energy to write, photograph, and edit – all prerequisites each time I post a new blog article.
The rising costs of energy bills has also impacted what was once my unwavering commitment to knocking out a couple of Sourdough loaves a week – to the point that I have not baked something I truly adore for over 6 months. Don’t worry, alpha and beta, my sourdough starters have been kept on life support for the last 6 months. They also celebrated their two-year birthdays in April. I will bake again. I will.
The current state of the economy is not the only reason for inactivity on this blog- in January we moved house and relocated to the outskirts of the beautiful and small city of Lincoln. After our move (definitely the most stressful experience, Marlini and I have endured together) limited spare time has been consumed with numerous DIY projects. Whilst my camera has been gathering dust I have been paint stripping, sanding, painting, cleaning as I work through numerous home improvement projects both indoors and out. As ever, they never seem to go exactly as planned, and every five-minute job ends up taking far longer due to unexpected consequences. Too wet, too cold, too hot- I think you get the picture!
We love the new space here – but everything is different. Adapting to new ovens etc have taken time (we have inherited far more integrated kitchen toys than we’d ever have planned for), and there are new environmental challenges to overcome – by this – trying to adjust to completely different lighting for photography being the prominent one. Last weekend (largely thanks to the weather) I needed to postpone an outdoor DIY project and felt it high time to commit one of our absolute favourite recipes to the blog. And we went with.. Kedgeree! It has become one of our favourites – and something we would make more often if we could find a more regular supply of undyed smoked haddock or cod. It should also go without saying that in order for Marlini’s unwavering commitment to wanting chilli with just about everything, the recipe had to be adapted accordingly.
Kedgeree with Chilli and Garlic
Kedgeree is a dish most closely associated to Anglo-Indian cuisine and has very interesting origins.
According to various sources, it began life as khichuṛī in 1340 (or earlier) as an Indian rice and bean or rice and lentil concoction which also included fried onions and ginger.
However, the dish was transformed during British colonial rule in India, and adapted to suit their palette which is where the addition of fish and eggs derived. The dish was introduced to the UK by British colonials during Victorian times – and since then has seen many permutations. When trying to source a recipe to first try, I was pleasantly surprised by how many variations exist. As ever, this is the result of several experiments with the intention of finding a good balance between texture and flavour.
Kedgeree was traditionally a breakfast dish – but if like us and the majority of society you probably don’t live like Downtown Abbey with cooks and servants to offer this as the first dish of the day. It certainly takes time, is very filling, and really well suited for brunch or an early evening meal. Most recipes I have found include boiled eggs – our preference is definitely poached.
Kedgeree with Chilli and Garlic
Ingredients
- 300 g Smoked haddock or cod undyed if possible
- 500 ml stock from stock cube
- 2 large bay leaves
- 200 g White Basmati rice rinsed in cold water
- 1 large White onion finely diced
- 2 large garlic cloves finely grated
- 1 chilli finely diced red or green
- 2 tbsp Mild madras curry powder
- 2 tbsp sunflower oil
- 10 g unsalted butter
- 1 large lemon freshly squeezed
- small bunch flat leaf parsley finely chopped
- 0.5 cup frozen garden peas defrosted
- 4 large free-range eggs at room temperature
- Freshly milled black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Bring 500ml fish stock to boil, add bay leaves and smoked fish. Reduce heat, cover with lid and simmer for 10 minutes.300 g Smoked haddock or cod, 2 large bay leaves, 500 ml stock from stock cube
- Add rinsed basmati rice to large saucepan. When fish is cooked, scoop out and set aside. Remove bay leaves and carefully pour the fish stock over the rice. Stir thoroughly, bring to boil, reduce heat and cover. Cook for 10 minutes.200 g White Basmati rice
- Meanwhile, take the pan used to cook fish and heat to medium. Add the sunflower oil, then butter. Once melted, add the diced onion and sweat for 2-3 minutes. Add the garlic and chopped chilli, and cook for a further 2 minutes. Add the curry powder, and cook through for a further 2-3 minutes.1 large White onion, 2 large garlic cloves, 2 tbsp Mild madras curry powder, 2 tbsp sunflower oil, 10 g unsalted butter, 1 chilli finely diced
- Once rice is cooked, leave for a further 2-3 mins. Turn pan on to medium low heat, stir the rice, then add the spiced onion mix ensuring that it is mixed thoroughly. The colour of the curry power should be very apparent.
- Add the defrosted garden peas and mix thoroughly. Next, gently flake the smoked fish into the pan and stir through.0.5 cup frozen garden peas, 300 g Smoked haddock or cod
- Add chopped parsley, juice of half a lemon, and a generous grind of black pepper. Mix thoroughly, cover pan with lid and set heat to low.small bunch flat leaf parsley, 1 large lemon
- Wipe clean pan used to cook curried onions mix, rinse then fill three quarters full with boiling water and cover with lid. Set heat to high until bubbling, then lower to medium heat. Add juice of half a lemon.
- Carefully break eggs into ramekins, then gently tip the eggs into the water. Cover with lid and simmer for 3-4 minutes. You can carefully lift an egg with a slotted spoon and press gently to see if the egg white is firmer to the touch. My preference is for a runny yolk.4 large free-range eggs
- Spoon kedgeree mix into large bowls and place poached eggs on top. Add a wedge of lemon, season with a generous grind of black pepper, and garnish with fresh parsley.4 large free-range eggs, Freshly milled black pepper to taste
Guys – you must try this. Delicious ?!
I’m going to try this for my late Sunday breakfast! It has everything that I love. But I’m more on the garlic side than on the chilli, but only because I’m Spanish.
Please don’t let anyone stop you from doing what you love the most ☺️
Thank you Alicia. Please let me know how you get on. I have seen so many different versions..some with coriander and ginger, others with raisins.
Getting a good smoked haddock was the hardest thing.. Sainsbury’s typically have it under the finest range. I fully get the chilli thing..?