I ndian inspiration
A forkful of kedgeree should contain rice, a little smoked haddock, onion, spices, butter, chopped parsley and, if you're lucky, hard-boiled egg.
Look beyond the metamorphosis of this quintessentially Victorian dish and the ingredients become lentils, rice and spices - a nourishing blend of inexpensive ingredients enjoyed by Indians.
The dish is stolen property, a theft committed by the Raj during its sojourn in that vast and wonderful continent. Subsequently it became institutionalised into a use for leftovers, despite being a dish worthy of more attention.
Kedgeree's roots come from khichri, which originates from the word k'ysara - from Sanskrit, the ancient language of Hindus in India. It simply means a mixture of rice and lentils.
Depending on wealth and availability, spices, butter and crisply fried onions were added to the dish.
Quite how fish was introduced into the dish is unclear. The Raj did ship smoked fish to India at vast expense. And the British were fond of large breakfasts, made all the more enjoyable when they contained at least some smoked fish.
The lighter side
Quite why they went to such trouble is also unclear, as their larders were already filled with crumbed chops (chops doused in flour, dipped in egg and fried in breadcrumbs), beef rissoles, devilled kidneys, mutton hashes made from locally-bought products, as well as Indian dishes of prawn, chicken and beef.
But the popularity of khichri as a breakfast dish dates back to the 14th century, as recorded by historian Ibn Batuta: "The munj (mung bean) is boiled with rice and buttered and eaten. This is what they call kishri, and on this they breakfast every day."
Indeed, many Indians still do, enjoying the delicate flavours and lightness of the dish. In Bengal it is traditional to greet the arrival of the monsoon by eating khichri. With the increase in temperature and soaring humidity, food that is gentle on the stomach is believed to be beneficial.
The lethargy brought on by the monsoon means you eat a lot and move very little, so light, interesting dishes are important. Today, albeit for different reasons, requests by restaurant diners for lighter food makes kedgeree a good dish to feature on the menu.
The dish's transformation into kedgeree is probably similar to that of "curry", popularly assumed to be the work of Indian chefs working in British homes during the time of the Raj. The cross-fertilisation may well have come from a certain desperation to get away from the heaviness of early British food. What a relief to be able to turn from eggs and kidneys to a light, fluffy plate of kedgeree when the temperature outside is 90ºF and rising.
The Raj families also thought kedgeree, being soothing and digestible, was good for invalids and for eating at night.
While haddock is usually associated with kedgeree, kippers and bloaters (similar to herrings, but a milder cure) were also used and, of necessity, fresh fish. In the days before refrigeration, if you wanted to eat fresh fish you ate it for breakfast or not at all.
Back in the UK, as some of the Raj community returned home, the arrival of kedgeree coincided with improved communications. Fishing ports such as Findon, south of Aberdeen, where a thriving cottage industry of haddock smoking was growing up, were able to keep the country supplied.
Kedgeree swiftly became part of the Edwardian breakfast. Some 19th-century cooks continued to use fresh fish in their kedgerees, but the popularity of haddock grew to such an extent that the Indian association was lost and many thought its origins lay north of the border.
While old English recipes concentrated on fresh herbs such as cress, parsley or marjoram, the Indian versions were more likely to contain turmeric powder to turn the rice yellow, plus julienned strips of chilli, green ginger and crisply fried onions.
One late 19th-century recipe for kedgeree, by French chef Charles Francatelli, is called Riz à la Soeur Nightingale - a light rice and lentil broth which is more like a soup.
The consistency of the sauce can be thin, thick or dry. It can be plain or made with vegetables such as new potatoes, cauliflower and green beans.
More elaborate versions worked cream and eggs in at the last minute, particularly useful if the dish had to sit on a sideboard waiting for everyone to descend to breakfast.
Mrs Beeton, whose recipe calls for fresh fish, recommends adding mustard, while Eliza Acton, author of Modern Cookery for Private Families, (published in 1845), favours cayenne, along with turbot, brill, salmon, sole, John Dory or shrimps. Mustard and cayenne were used to spice up the dish, possibly in addition to the curry powder which was used to thicken it, and also acted to remind diners of its Indian roots.
Today we may not eat kedgeree for breakfast, but it is popular, albeit at lunchtime, and for light evening meals. It is an inexpensive dish to prepare and, with the bulk made up of rice, costs can be kept low. Depending on how you interpret the dish, preparation time can be kept to a minimum and it can be plated up as elaborately as you wish.
