Smoked Mackerel Kedgeree

Smoked Mackerel Kedgeree with boiled eggs, a delicious midweek meal that goes down a treat with the whole family. It's mildly spiced, and the smokiness of the fish adds even more flavour. Quick and easy to make, a fantastic twist on the classic dish that is ready in under 30 minutes.

I have always been intrigued about kedgeree, but what really made me give this amazing dish a go was Clarissa Dickson Wright's program called Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner, where she explores the origins and development of the three meals we have today.

It's such an educational program, and it's so fascinating to learn all about the culinary past of the British nation. And it was here where I first seen a cooked kedgeree, and it looked so mouth-watering, I had to cook it myself.

Jump to:

• What is kedgeree
• Ingredients used
• Easy swaps
• Step-by-step photos and instructions
• Expert tips
• Other Indian rice recipes
• Smoked Mackerel Kedgeree

What is kedgeree

Originally, kedgeree was an Indian meal consisting in rice, lentils, fried onions and spices. The early colonists fell in love with the dish, and, as it travelled back to the Edwardian houses, the lentils were left out, and flaked smoked haddock was introduced instead.

Boiled eggs were later on added to, and the kedgeree became a very popular breakfast dish. While I definitely wouldn't have it for breakfast, as a dinner it's a beautiful meal that can be easily adapted to cater for all tastes and ages.

Ingredients used

• ready-to-eat smoked mackerel fillets
• basmati rice
• onion - regular onion works better for this recipe
• eggs - to boil
• medium curry powder -or hot if you prefer more heat
• turmeric - ground
• salt & black pepper- to taste
• fresh parsley - or fresh coriander
• vegetable oil - for frying the onion
• a knob of butter - adds more richness to the onion

Easy swaps

I chose smoked mackerel for my dish as it's ready to eat and not as salty as other smoked fish, but traditionally kedgeree is made with smoked haddock, which has a yellowish tint to it, and gives more colour to the dish.

You can definitely go for smoked haddock if you wish, or any other smoked fish: salmon, kippers or a combo of a few of your favourite smoked fish.

I only used curry powder and turmeric for my kedgeree, since I wanted a mild dish for my kids to enjoy too, but you can add chilli powder too, or a bit of a kick. Ground cumin, coriander and cardamom are other good additions too.

Step-by-step photos and instructions

• heat up the oil and butter in a large pan, add the onion and fry on a low to medium heat until slightly caramelised
• add the spices and mix well
• rinse the rice with cold water, then add it to the pan together with the water

• place a lid on, and leave to cook the rice until tender and all the liquid has been absorbed
• remove from the heat and leave the lid on for 10 minutes, for the rice to fluff up
• boil the eggs for 3-4 minutes, depending how soft or hard-boiled you like them
• use a fork to fluff up the rice, then add the flaked smoked mackerel and sliced eggs
• garnish with fresh parsley and serve hot

Expert tips

The ready-to-eat smoked mackerel is not at salty and strong-flavoured as haddock, so I did not poach it before adding it to the rice. 

And since I mentioned poaching the fish, if you do go for smoked haddock, boil it in a cup of milk for 10 minutes until the flesh flakes. The milk will cut down on its sharpness.

Other Indian rice recipes

If you’ve liked my SMOKED MACKEREL KEDGEREE or any other recipe on the blog, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you! You can also FOLLOW ME on FACEBOOK, and PINTEREST to see more delicious food and what I’m getting up to.