Equipment
Ingredients
Poached Haddock
- 500 g undyed smoked haddock fillets, skin-on
- 400 ml whole milk
- 2 fresh bay leaves
- 5 black peppercorns
Pilaf Base
- 300 g basmati rice
- 45 g ghee, or unsalted butter
- 1 onion, finely diced
- 2 garlic, minced
- 10 g ginger root, finely grated
Spices & Aromatics
- 3 g ground turmeric
- 6 g mild curry powder
- 4 green cardamom pods, crushed slightly
- 1 cinnamon stick
Finish
- 15 ml lemon juice
- 15 g fresh parsley, chopped
- 100 ml vegetable stock
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 446 kcal
- Protein
- 36 g
- Carbohydrates
- 17 g
- Fat
- 16 g
- Fiber
- 3 g
- Sugar
- 7 g
- Sodium
- 1124 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 9 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Cholesterol
- 140 mg
- Potassium
- 825 mg
- Calcium
- 229 mg
- Iron
- 3.3 mg
- Magnesium
- 98 mg
- Phosphorus
- 431 mg
- Zinc
- 1.3 mg
- Vitamin A
- 100 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 11 mg
- Vitamin D
- 2.3 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 1.3 mg
- Vitamin K
- 64 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.6 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 2.5 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.14 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.26 mg
- Niacin
- 6.7 mg
- Folate
- 39 mcg
- Water
- 280 g
- Alcohol
- 12 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Rinse the basmati rice in cold water 3-4 times until the water runs clear to remove excess starch. Soak in cold water for 20 minutes, then drain thoroughly in a sieve.
Place the smoked haddock in a wide pan, skin side down. Pour over the milk, add bay leaves and peppercorns. If the fish isn't submerged, add a splash of water.
Bring the milk to a gentle simmer over medium heat, then reduce to low and poach for 5-7 minutes until the fish flakes easily and is opaque.
Remove the fish carefully. Strain the poaching liquid into a measuring jug. Add water or vegetable stock to the liquid until you have exactly 550ml of total fluid. Discard the fish skin and break the flesh into large flakes, checking for and removing any bones.
In a large Dutch oven or sauté pan, melt the ghee over medium heat. Add the cardamom pods and cinnamon stick, sautéing for 30 seconds until fragrant.
Add the diced onion and sauté for 6-8 minutes until soft and translucent but not browned. Add the garlic, ginger, turmeric, and curry powder. Cook for another 1 minute to cook out the raw spice flavor.
Add the drained rice to the pan. Stir gently for 1-2 minutes to coat the grains in the spiced fat and toast them slightly.
Pour in the 550ml of reserved poaching liquid. Bring to a boil, stir once, then cover with a tight-fitting lid. Reduce heat to the absolute lowest setting and simmer undisturbed for 12 minutes.
Remove the pan from the heat. Do not remove the lid. Let it stand for 5-10 minutes to finish steaming.
Uncover and gently fluff the rice with a fork. Fold in the flaked haddock, lemon juice, and chopped parsley. Taste and adjust salt if necessary (smoked fish is salty, so be careful).
Chef's Notes
- Undyed smoked haddock is superior to the yellow-dyed variety, offering a cleaner, more natural smoke flavor without artificial additives.
- The ratio of rice to liquid is crucial. For soaked basmati, 1 part rice to 1.5 parts liquid by volume (or weight adjusted) usually yields the perfect fluffiness.
- To make this a traditional Kedgeree, garnish with halved soft-boiled eggs (6-minute boil) just before serving.
- Be diligent about bone removal. Pin bones in haddock can be tricky; run your finger down the center line of the fillet after poaching to find them.
Storage
Refrigerator: 2 days — Store in an airtight container. Reheat thoroughly to 74°C/165°F.
Reheating: Steam gently or microwave with a splash of water to rehydrate the grains.
Troubleshooting
Rice is mushy or sticky
Cause: Excess starch was not washed off, or the rice was stirred during the simmering process.
Fix: Spread rice on a wide baking sheet to let steam escape quickly and dry out slightly.
Prevention: Wash rice until water is clear; do not stir after putting the lid on.
Rice is crunchy or undercooked
Cause: Lid was not tight enough, allowing steam to escape.
Fix: Add 2-3 tbsp of hot water, cover tightly, and steam on very low heat for another 3-5 minutes.
Prevention: Use a heavy lid or place a layer of foil between the pot and lid.
Cultural Context
This dish is a direct descendant of Kedgeree, an Anglo-Indian breakfast dish that originated from the Indian 'Khichdi'. British colonials adapted the lentil and rice dish by adding smoked fish (a British staple) and reducing the liquid to create a fluffy pilaf texture, bridging the gap between Victorian luxury and Indian spice.
