Fish
Mackerel and pearl barley kedgeree recipe
This Anglo-Indian-hybrid dish of mackerel and pearl barley kedgeree was brought over to England during the British Raj era.
It soon became a Victorian breakfast-time favourite, and is still today a much-loved food memory from many a childhood. Bursting with the warming flavours of India, kedgeree is the perfect dish to enjoy as a sociable weekend brunch or even as a hearty lunch.
Said to be inspired by the traditional Indian dish Khichri, a mixture of rice and lentils that has been a culinary classic for centuries, kedgeree is a recipe that is still evolving.
A wellbeing pearl barley kedgeree
Our own twist on it has been tailored with wellbeing in mind, with ingredients not only to nourish and satisfy you as the days get colder, but also help keep you glowing, inside-out.
We’ve substituted the haddock for mackerel with our pearl barley kedgeree – a wonderful oily fish full of lean protein, essential vitamins and minerals, as well as skin-saving omega-3 fatty acids.
We’ve also swapped the rice for pearl barley which is far richer in heart-healthy fibre and added in peas and fresh herbs for a healthy green injection of nutritional goodness.
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Wellbeing Wisdom
- Mackerel is full of lean protein, essential vitamins and minerals, as well as skin-saving omega-3 fatty acids
- Pearl barley is far richer in heart-healthy fibre than rice
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
- 1 red onion
- 1 red chilli
- 3-4 fillets peppered mackerel
- 4 organic eggs
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 tsp garam masala
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 1cm piece of ginger
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 400g pearl barley
- 1l good quality vegetable stock
- 200g frozen peas
- Handful fresh parsley
- Handful fresh coriander
- 2 spring onions
- 2 lemons
- Low-fat yoghurt to serve
Method
- Finely slice the red onion, chilli and ginger and then crush the garlic with the side of a large knife and roughly chop it up. Heat up the coconut oil in a large wok or pan and sauté for a few minutes. Then add in the garam masala, ground coriander and turmeric and cook until the garlic, onion, ginger and chillies are soft and have absorbed the spices.
- Add in the pearl barley and mix well until it’s covered in the spices. Add in half the stock and let it cook on medium heat for 35 minutes until the pearl barley is tender, stirring frequently and adding in the remaining 500ml of stock as you go. Squeeze in the juice of one lemon, and grate half the lemon skin for zest.
- While the pearl barley is cooking, place the eggs in a pan of water and bring it up to the boil and cook for 6-7 minutes (depending how soft you like the yolk). Drain the water and place the eggs under a cold running tap. Peel and cut in half. Set aside.
- In a sieve, pour hot water over the frozen peas and then add into the pan with the pearl barley a few minutes before it’s ready to serve. Then flake in the mackerel and mix it all together. Season well.
- Serve up the kedgeree in a large serving dish with the boiled eggs, remaining lemon wedges to squeeze over and low-fat yoghurt. Finish by scattering over finely sliced spring onions and chilli, fresh parsley and coriander.
