Thursday, March 29, 2012


Kedgeree is a traditional British breakfast dish that is a legacy of colonial life in India. It combines smoked fish (usually haddock) with hard-boiled eggs. ‘George-friendly’ cooks cannot use the eggs but we can adapt Kedgeree very effectively. 
The English version of the dish tends to disguise its origins by using cream and milk and by avoiding the use of coriander, substituting chives and parsley. Australians do not have to do this because coriander is readily available and we love Asian spices like ginger and chili. (I grow coriander in a box in the back garden.) Thus, I prefer to celebrate the Indian origins by offering the more authentic spicy version.

  • Place 1 1/2 cups rice in cooker with 3 cups of water, add a pinch of turmeric and 1 tsp good curry powder.
  • In the steam bowl that is positioned over the rice place crushed garlic and chopped onions with a little ginger. (I also add no more than 1/2 chili cut-up finely.)
  • Over the onions and spices place portions of smoked fish (preferably haddock)
  • Remember to switch-on the cooker. How is easy is that!
  • Garnish with a generous amount of chopped coriander after fluffing the rice with a very small amount extra virgin oil, sunflower is best (you will need to go to a health-food shop to buy this). If you think the virgin oil is too expensive, the dish will be fine without it. Do not use olive oil.

You can make a potato version of kedgeree. However, it will be better to use English herbs so that you can mix the potato with olive oil.

  • Boil peeled potatoes, mix with a pinch of turmeric and cayenne pepper and some finely chopped chives, bake to dry potatoes in oven. 
  • Steam haddock (or other smoked fish)
  • Combine potatoes with olive oil, salt to taste and a generous amount of roughly ground black pepper, add fish to the salad, garnish with a generous amount of parsley.

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