Recipe video above. Traditional English smoked fish and rice dish - think of it as an English biryani! Smoked haddock or cod tossed through a butter spiced rice studded with eggs, this is true fusion food at its best.
Prep Time15 minutesmins
Cook Time30 minutesmins
Course: Main
Cuisine: British, English
Keyword: fish and rice, kedgeree
Servings: 5
Author: Nagi
Ingredients
4 cups/ 1 litrechicken stock/broth, low-sodium
500g/1 lbsmoked haddock or cod, skin-on (or other smoked fish, Note 1)
2 1/4cupslong grain rice, uncooked
75g / 5 tbspunsalted butter
15curry leaves(Note 2)
6green cardamom pods, lightly crushed (Note 3)
1brown onion, diced
2garlic cloves, finely minced
2tspcurry powder(anything! Use spicy if you want, I use mild)
1/2tspturmeric powder
1cupfrozen peas, thawed
1/2cupcoriander/cilantro leaves, roughly chopped (sub green onion or parsley)
Poach fish - Bring chicken stock to a boil in a large saucepan or small pot. Place fish in (it should all be just about submerged, Note 4) and adjust heat so the stock is barely rippling. Poach it gently for 8 minutes or until the fish flakes apart. Remove fish onto a large plate.
Flake fish - When cool enough to handle, discard skin (gently scrape with a butter knife) and flake fish into large pieces, checking for any bones.
Reserve stock - Measure out 1/2 cup of the poaching liquid and set aside for later (drizzle on at end to juice up the rice).
Cook rice 13 min - Add rice into the poaching liquid in the saucepan. Bring to a simmer over high heat. Cover with lid then reduce heat to low. Cook for 13 minutes.
Rest rice 10 min - Remove the saucepan from the stove with the lid on and rest for 10 minutes. Fluff rice using a rubber spatula.
Curried butter - While the rice is resting, melt the butter in a very large (30cm/12") non stick skillet or pot, over medium-high heat. Add the cardamom pods and curry leaves and stir for 30 seconds. Add the onions, garlic and sauté for 5 minutes until browning at the edges, stirring regularly.
Toss rice - Lower heat to medium. Stir in the curry powder and turmeric, and then the rice. Toss the rice in the spiced butter until well coated and uniformly yellow. Pour over the reserved 1/2 cup of fish poaching stock, and toss to mix through (it moistens the rice).
Peas & fish - Stir through the peas and most of the coriander (hold some back for garnish). Then gently fold through the fish, taking care to keep some pieces in large chunks.
Serve - Spoon out rice onto one large platter or individual plates to serve. Top with boiled egg halves, and garnish with the remaining coriander. EAT!
Notes
1. Smoked haddock (or cod) - one of the most economical options at the deli of grocery stores (Coles, Woolies) and fish mongers, stained an orange/yellow colour. Technically raw so we need to cook it. By poaching in the liquid we use to cook the rice, we are not wasting a drop of flavour!2. Curry leaves - Magnificent ingredient frequently used in Indian cooking! Fairly widely available these days in grocery stores in Australia (Coles, woolies, Harris farms), leftovers freeze 100% perfectly! Use in Vindaloo, Dal, South Indian eggplant curry and Samosa Pie. (I have a plant *says the plant-killer, smugly*) (PS curry plants are indestructible)3. Cardamom pods - Sold at every stores, to lightly crush just use side of knife and press down to break shell slightly to release flavour.4. Poaching fish - It's ok if a bit of the surface of the fish is above the liquid as it will steam-cook.5. Leftovers will keep for 3 days in the fridge. It will freeze without the eggs for 3 months.