The Kedgeree

Salmon Kedgeree with Double the Greens

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Kedgeree was one of the emblematic dishes of the British colonial occupation of India: the groovy cross-cultural rice bowl of its day. In Curry: A Tale of Cooks and Conquerors, food historian Lizzie Collingham writes that kedgeree was a heavily ornamented take on the very simple rice-and-lentil Indian dish kichari, often served for breakfast—and alongside fish on hot days—because morning-caught fish might not make it to dinner in the era before refrigeration. For colonials returned to England, she says, smoked haddock was the canonic fish to add to the rice along with eggs and onions and, eventually, cabbage.

I don’t feel so bad messing around with a dish that’s practically the gold standard of cultural appropriation, so I double up on the cabbage and herbs, and use whatever fish I have around the house, though it’s especially nice if it’s a smoky fish.

Extra ingredients: cooked salmon, cooked rice

Time: 15 minutes (15 minutes active)

Makes 4 main course servings or 6 side servings

½ teaspoon coriander seeds

¼ teaspoon Aleppo pepper

1 teaspoon vadouvan or madras curry powder

2 tablespoons ghee or neutral oil, such as canola or grapeseed

2 teaspoons finely minced ginger

Fine sea salt to taste

1 large leek, white and light green parts only, sliced, rinsed, and rings separated

1 pound white cabbage (about half a large head), cut into ½-inch ribbons

2 cups cooked rice, preferably basmati

1 to 1½ cups (4 to 6 ounces) flaked cooked or hot-smoked salmon

¼ cup chopped cilantro

2 serrano peppers, very thinly sliced

3 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and quartered

Flaky sea salt to taste

1. In a small dry skillet, heat the coriander seeds over medium-high heat until fragrant, about 45 seconds. Let cool, then crush with a mortar and pestle or grind in a spice grinder. Mix the coriander with the Aleppo pepper and vadouvan.

2. In a large, deep skillet at least 10 inches across, warm the oil over medium-high heat. Add the ginger and stir frequently until it begins to brown, about 1 minute. Stir in the spice mixture and a generous pinch of salt.

3. Quickly place the leek in the pan along with about 2 tablespoons water. Stir well and cook until the leek is softened, 4 to 5 minutes.

4. Add the cabbage and another pinch of salt. Stir well and add ¼ cup water. Cover and cook, stirring from time to time, until the cabbage is tender-crisp, 4 to 5 minutes.

5. Fold the rice into the cabbage and cook, moving the rice constantly, until the rice is warmed through, about 1 minute. Add the fish and cook until warmed through.

6. Remove from the heat and toss in half of the cilantro and half of the serrano peppers. Taste the kedgeree and season with additional salt or Aleppo pepper if desired. Transfer to a serving platter. Season the eggs with flaky sea salt and garnish the rice with the eggs and the remaining cilantro and serrano peppers.

VARIATIONS