A return to the days of the Empire

It’s been almost 6 months since I sat in the sun at a bay side café and ate the stuff that helped build the British Empire. Back then I swore I’d make it soon. Finally on a less than balmy, Melbourne night I decided this was time for Kedgeree. Though more of a breakfast or brunch dish, who’d turn down smoked fish and rice for dinner?

In usual Food Nazi style the version I created is a synthesis of reading half a dozen recipes, looking in the fridge and adapting to what I had on hand. Some recipes totally omit the Indian element, leaving out the spice. Rarely do you see any with lentils, which the original Kedgeree supposedly had. Some had cream and chicken stock. None feature vegetables, beyond the odd onion. I had no parsley, which universally appears along with rice and smoked fish – so my twist has some crunchy green beans for colour and veggie goodness.

Kedgeree with a twist

(Quantities are approximate – serves 2 as a main or 4 as part of a spread for brunch)
1 cup long grain rice
1-2 eggs, hard boiled
butter – a large knob
a dash of vegetable oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
1/2 small red chilli, finely chopped (optional)
1 tablespoon garam marsala
a handful of green beans, topped and tailed (optional)
1 medium smoked trout, picked over for bones and shredded or chopped in chunks
salt, to taste

garnish – spring onions, chives or parsley
wedges of lemon to serve


To begin, cook the rice by the absorption method. This way you have nice dry fluffy rice otherwise the dish will be gluggy.

Boil the eggs. Set aside to cool in cold water.

Add the butter/oil to a large pan. Be generous. Fry off the onion til transparent. Add chilli, garlic and garam marsala. Now throw in the beans. I cooked these for a few minutes, then put a lid on the pan with the heat off while I finished cooking the rice and prepared the fish.

Return the pan to the heat. Start adding in the cooked rice. You may need a little more butter, as this carries the spices through the bland rice. Season to taste with sea salt (pepper too if you skipped the chilli). Stir through the flaked fish. Add chopped hard boiled eggs and garnishes.

Eat warm.

Verdict – totally addictive!