Smoked Mackerel Kedgeree

Kedgeree is a quick and easy dish that you could serve as for breakfast or brunch, lunch or even dinner. It’s pretty good any time of the day, and this version is even simpler than usual.

Kedgeree is generally believed to have been brought to the UK from India when it was part of the British Empire, and is loosely based upon the Indian rice and lentil dish Khichri. In Victorian times it was a popular breakfast dish, and while we might not go for the large breakfast spreads of those days, it’s still good for a special brunch dish.

Traditionally, Kedgeree is made with smoked haddock, but this version uses smoked mackerel which cuts out one stage of cooking. This makes it an easy meal to throw together, perfect for after an evening training session. The mackerel is rich in Omega-3 oils, while the peas are high in protein and fibre, helping to keep your blood sugar steady.

I’ve used brown rice in this recipe, as it is higher in fibre and retains more nutrients than white rice, and also adds extra flavour to the dish. If you prefer to use white rice, you will need to reduce the cooking time after you have added the stock to about 20-25 minutes.

Kedgeree
(Serves 4)

1tbsp rapeseed oil
8 spring onions, finely sliced
1tbsp medium curry powder
75g mushrooms, sliced
300g brown basmati rice
700ml hot chicken or vegetable stock
250g smoked mackerel fillets, skinned
100g frozen peas
1 bunch of flat leaf parsley, stalks removed.
2 tsp lemon juice
Black pepper
4 eggs, hard boiled, peeled and quartered

Heat a large frying pan over a medium heat and add the oil.

Add the spring onions and curry powder to the pan and fry for 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Next, stir in the mushrooms and fry for a further minute.

Add the rice to the pan and stir it in, so that it is coated in the oil. Pour in the hot stock, stir again, cover and cook for around 30 minutes. It make take an extra 5 minutes or so for the rice to be ready, just keep checking. Brown rice has a little more texture than white, so don’t expect it to be fluffy.

When the rice is just cooked, stir in the flaked fish and peas and cook for 2-3 minutes until they are heated through.

Squeeze over the lemon juice and add the chopped parsley and stir through.

Season with black pepper and top with the quartered eggs, leaving the dish to stand for 5 minutes before serving.