Kedgeree

Ingredients

For the split peas and rice:
200g yellow split peas
1tsp ground turmeric
300g basmati rice
Sea salt

For the haddock:
500g smoked haddock fillet
½ litre whole milk
6 peppercorns
2 bay leaves

For the spicing:
2tbsp light olive oil
1 white onion, diced
2 green chillies, diced (seeds in or out depending on your heat preference)
6cm piece ginger, peeled and finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2tsp whole cumin seeds

To finish:
25g butter
Small bunch curly parsley, finely chopped
6 poached eggs (optional)
chutney (optional)

Instructions

• Put the split peas in a pot with the turmeric, 1/2tsp salt and 1 litre water. Bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for 40 minutes until soft. Liquidise the peas and their cooking liquid to make a smooth purée.
• Wash the rice well and put it in a separate saucepan with 1/2tsp salt and 250ml water. Bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer, cover with a lid and cook until soft (about 12 minutes). Turn off the heat and leave the rice to steam, covered, for at least 5 minutes before fluffing.
• To cook the haddock, place it skin-side down in a wide, low pan – you may need to cut the fish into two pieces. Cover with the milk and add the peppercorns and bay leaves. Bring to the boil, then simmer for 10 minutes. Remove the fish to a plate and strain the milk into a jug. Clean the saucepan.
• To make the spicing, heat the oil in the saucepan you used for the fish and, on a medium-high heat, fry the onion, chillies and ginger, until soft and starting to caramelise. Add the garlic and cumin. Cook until the garlic is beginning to colour.
• To finish, remove the skin from the fish. Flake the fish and add it to the spicing. Stir in the rice and split peas, adding some of the reserved milk if necessary. Season and serve scattered with parsley and with either a poached egg or a spoonful of chutney.  Note: if you don’t need to use all the poaching milk, keep it for later and use for heating up leftovers.