Description
Lightly spiced and very fragrant, the flavours of this meal complement each other and leave you wanting more. And because it’s made with caulirice, it’s light enough to happily enjoy a second helping.
Ingredients
2 tsp brown mustard seeds
2 tsp fennel seeds
1 medium-large yellow onion
1 tsp fresh ginger, finely grated
1 green chilli, seeded and very finely chopped (optional)
1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and roughly chopped
1¼ cups green peas (I use fresh, whenever possible. You could use frozen peas. See notes, below)
1 cup green beans, cleaned and chopped into 2.5cm (1 inch) pieces
1 tsp ground turmeric
500g (1.1oz) fresh cauliflower florets (around one large head of cauliflower), coarsely grated on a box grater or food processor
½ can coconut milk
¼ tsp ground white pepper
4 eggs, hard-boiled, cooled and peeled, and halved
115g (around 4 oz) fillet of hot-smoked salmon, skinned and flaked. I usually buy one fillet and flake gently.
fresh coriander (cilantro), to serve
lime wedges, to serve
Instructions
- Place a large, heavy-based pan or skillet over a medium-high heat. Add a small amount (around 2 tsp) of coconut oil (or any vegetable oil). Add the mustard seeds and fennel seeds. Allow them to sizzle gently.
- When you hear the mustard seeds start to pop, add the chopped onion. Allow it to cook for a few minutes, stirring as needed. The onion should cook and brown slightly, but not be burnt.
- Add the freshly grated ginger and chilli (if using). Allow to sizzle, while stirring, for about 1 minute.
- Next, add the yellow bell pepper; the peas (fresh); and green beans. Allow this mixture to cook gently for about 7 minutes. Stir occasionally, to prevent burning.
- Add the turmeric to the pan, and the caulirice. Give it all a stir to combine well. The vegetables should be well mixed through, and the caulirice should change colour as the turmeric is stirred through.
- Add the coconut milk, giving the while mixture one brief stir. Then turn the heat down to medium-low and allow the Kedgeree to simmer for around 10 minutes.
- Stir every now-and-again, and watch the cauliflower. It will release moisture as it cooks, which should be absorbed back into the dish as it cooks. But be careful; if you overcook the cauliflower, it will become mushy. You want it to still have a little bite to the texture.
- Add the white pepper and check if it needs a little salt (I don’t use much salt because smoked fish is generally quite salty).
- Finish the Kedgeree off by scattering the fresh coriander (cilantro) over the pan.
- Dot the egg halves around and add the fish.
- Lastly, add the lime wedges to the pan (scattered). people can take a wedge and squeeze the lime juice over their portion.
- I like serving the Kedgeree like this, in the pan or skillet, and allowing everyone to help themselves. It always looks so festive with very little effort on my part.
Notes
* If you are using frozen peas, add with the coconut milk in step 6.
* If you would like to use Basmati rice, pre-cook and cool, and add to the pan in step 6.
* Any smoked fish fillet will be delicious. I use hot-smoked salmon, but buy according to what you can find and your budget. Please note, however, that the fish is used to add flavour and colour to dish. It is a vital ingredient, but not a main one. A little goes a long way.
* This tastes amazing the next day! Be sure to keep any leftovers for lunch.