Dr Mobeus
Egg Kedgeree
Kedgeree is one of the great stretch dishes of the British kitchen, invented during the days of the Raj to turn a little fish and rice into a full meal. The smoked haddock most recipes call for has become genuinely expensive, but the version cooked in British homes for over a century simply used eggs.
Four eggs, a little rice, an onion and a couple of spoonfuls of curry powder cost around £1.90 in total and feed four people generously at about 48p a portion. It takes 30 minutes start to finish.
Kedgeree is also one of those rare dishes that works for breakfast, lunch or dinner, hot or cold, which makes it a useful thing to have in a box in the fridge for busy days.
Egg Kedgeree
Ingredients
Method
- Lower the eggs into boiling water and cook for 8 minutes, then scoop them into cold water, peel and cut into quarters.
- Meanwhile, rinse the rice in a sieve until the water runs clear, then simmer it in a large pan of salted water for 10-12 minutes until just tender. Drain well.
- While the rice cooks, melt the butter in a deep frying pan and cook the onion over a medium heat for 8 minutes until soft and just golden.
- Stir in the curry powder and cook for 1 minute until fragrant, then tip in the drained rice, the peas and a splash of water. Toss everything together over the heat for 3-4 minutes until the peas are cooked and the rice is steaming hot.
- Season well, fold in the egg quarters gently so they do not break up, and scatter over the herbs if using. Serve warm, or chill and eat within 2 days.
Tips and Variations
Do not overcook the eggs – 8 minutes gives set whites with yolks that still have a little colour. Toast the curry powder in the butter for a minute before the rice goes in, because this wakes up the spices and is the difference between a flat kedgeree and a fragrant one. Cook the rice in plenty of water like pasta, then drain it well, and the grains stay separate instead of clumping. Chilled kedgeree makes an excellent packed lunch with a squeeze of lemon.
