Kedgeree (British Smoked Fish Spiced Rice Dish)
Quick answer
Kedgeree is a British brunch dish of smoked haddock flaked into spiced rice with boiled eggs, descended from the Indian colonial-era dish khichri.
What makes this special
- Curry-spiced rice folded with flaked smoked haddock defines this British brunch.
- Tearing the smoked haddock into large chunks spreads the smoke aroma through each bite
- Blooming curry powder in butter for 30 seconds infuses the fat with cumin and turmeric
Key ingredients
Core cooking flow
- 1 Hard-boil the 2 eggs, cool them in cold water, and peel them carefully.
- 2 Steam or gently warm the 220 g smoked haddock over low heat just until heated through.
- 3 Set a pan over medium heat, melt the 20 g butter, and add the 100 g onion.
Kedgeree is a British brunch dish of smoked haddock flaked into spiced rice with boiled eggs, descended from the Indian colonial-era dish khichri. The smoked fish is poached or steamed and broken into large pieces - keeping the flakes sizable preserves their texture and allows the smoky flavor to distribute through the rice in distinct pockets. Onion is sauteed in butter, then curry powder is bloomed for thirty seconds, releasing the warm aromas of cumin and turmeric into the fat, which tints and seasons every grain of rice. A squeeze of lemon juice at the end cuts through the richness of the butter and the heaviness of the spices with a bright acidity. Halved boiled eggs and chopped parsley finish the dish with contrasting texture and color.
Instructions
Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.
- 1Heat
Hard-boil the 2 eggs, cool them in cold water, and peel them carefully.
Cut them in halves and set them aside with the yolks facing up so they stay neat for serving.
- 2Control
Steam or gently warm the 220 g smoked haddock over low heat just until heated through.
Flake it along the grain into large pieces, keeping distinct chunks so the fish texture does not disappear in the rice.
- 3Control
Set a pan over medium heat, melt the 20 g butter, and add the 100 g onion.
Cook for about 3 minutes, stirring often, until the onion turns translucent without browning too hard.
- 4Heat
Add 1 teaspoon curry powder and stir for only 30 seconds to bloom the spice in the butter.
Keep the heat moderate, because cooking it too long or too hot can make the curry taste bitter.
- 5Heat
Add the 350 g cooked rice and break it up with a spatula as it fries.
Toss until the grains are hot, separate, and evenly tinted yellow by the curry butter.
- 6Finish
Fold in the haddock gently so the large flakes stay intact.
Finish with 1 tablespoon lemon juice and the parsley, taste for brightness, then top with the halved eggs and serve warm.
After the steps
Pick a recipe that fits this dish.
Continue with shared ingredients, meal pairings, or a similar method.
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