Smoked Haddock Kedgeree

From the kitchen of Carly

An Anglo-Indian breakfast that earned its place at British brunch tables: spiced basmati rice folded with flaked smoked fish, hard-boiled eggs, and parsley. Served warm with a wedge of lemon, it lands somewhere between curry and comfort food. Buy undyed smoked haddock if you can find it. The bright-yellow dyed fish is a coloring shortcut, not a flavor upgrade.

Smoked Haddock Kedgeree

Kedgeree straddles two countries in a single bowl, blooming cardamom and cinnamon in butter before the rice lands, then finishing with flaked smoked fish and hard-boiled eggs folded through. It's a gentle, deeply flavored dish that builds in the pan rather than shouting, and the undyed haddock keeps it elegant instead of brash. This is the kind of thing that works for breakfast, lunch, or a quiet supper.

Prep
10 min
Cook
25 min
Total
35 min
Servings
4
Difficulty
easy

Ingredients

4 servings

  • 2 oz(50 g)butter
  • 1 mediumonion, finely chopped
  • 3cardamom pods, lightly cracked
  • 1/4 tspground turmeric
  • 1small cinnamon stick
  • 2bay leaves
  • 16 oz(450 g)basmati rice
  • 4 1/4 cups(1 L)chicken or fish stock
  • 1 2/3 lb(750 g)undyed smoked haddock fillet
  • 3large eggs
  • 3 tbspfresh parsley, chopped
  • 1lemon, cut into wedges

Instructions

  1. Melt the butter in a wide saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook gently for 5 minutes until softened but not browned.

  2. Stir in the cracked cardamom pods, turmeric, cinnamon stick, and bay leaves. Cook for 1 minute to bloom the spices in the butter.

  3. Add the basmati rice and stir until every grain is coated.

  4. Pour in the stock, add ½ tsp salt, and bring to a boil. Stir once, then cover with a tight-fitting lid, drop the heat to low, and cook 12 minutes without lifting the lid. Pull off the heat and let it sit, still covered, for 5 more minutes.

  5. While the rice cooks, bring a wide shallow pan of water to a low simmer. Slide in the smoked haddock and poach for 4 minutes, until it flakes. Lift onto a plate to cool slightly.

  6. In a small pot, hard-boil the eggs for 8 minutes. Drain and run under cold water, then peel and roughly chop.

  7. Flake the fish into bite-sized pieces, discarding skin and any bones.

  8. Uncover the rice. Fish out the cinnamon stick, bay leaves, and cardamom pods if you want (or leave them as edible decoration). Gently fold in the flaked fish, chopped eggs, and most of the parsley with a fork. Cover again and let everything warm through for 2 minutes.

  9. Taste, adjust salt and pepper. Serve scattered with the remaining parsley and lemon wedges on the side.

Tips from the kitchen

  • Bloom your spices in the butter for a full minute before adding the rice, it's the difference between tasting cardamom and actually tasting cardamom.
  • Don't skip the 5-minute rest after the rice is done cooking, it lets the grains finish absorbing and sets them up to fold ingredients in gently without breaking them apart.
  • Poach the haddock in just barely simmering water, not a rolling boil, so it stays tender and won't disintegrate when you flake it.
  • Leave the whole spices in if you like the pop of finding them, or fish them out if you prefer clean spoonfuls, either way works.

Variations

  • Smoked salmon instead of haddock, omit the poaching step and just flake it cold into the finished rice for a slighter, more luxurious version.
  • Add a handful of frozen peas when you fold in the fish and eggs, bright and traditional.
  • Finish with crispy fried onions and a squeeze of lime instead of lemon for a sharper, more Southeast Asian lean.
  • Stir in a dollop of crème fraîche or yogurt instead of the eggs for something richer and more like a kedgeree-inspired grain salad.

Make ahead and storage

Keeps in the fridge for 2 to 3 days in an airtight container. Reheat gently in a wide skillet over low heat with a splash of water to loosen it, or warm in the microwave with a damp paper towel on top.

Substitutions
  • smoked haddock to smoked salmon, smoked trout, or hot-smoked mackerel. Skip the poaching step; flake any of these straight in at the end.
  • basmati rice to brown basmati or jasmine rice. Brown basmati needs more liquid and 35 minutes; jasmine cooks the same as basmati.
  • fish stock to chicken stock or even water + a bouillon cube. Fish stock is harder to find. Chicken stock is the easy default; the spices carry the dish.

Pairs well with: A pot of strong black tea with milk, Chutney or piccalilli on the side for tang, Buttered toast triangles, the proper British way