Vegan Kedgeree

Our Vegan Kedgeree is adapted from the hearty, traditional Scottish breakfast Kedgeree which is in essence a curried rice cooked with smoked fish. This fish-free version is easy and quick to prepare in one pot and is ideal for budget-friendly and midweek meals.

We have replaced the smoked fish that is usually called for in vintage kedgeree recipes with smoked tofu. Our recipe also has peas, and is flavoured with curry powder as well as onion, garlic, and ginger. Tomatoes and parsley are optional garnishes.

Jump to:

• Origins of kedgeree
• Ingredients for vegan kedgeree
• How to prepare
• Recipe Notes
• Reheating
• More Vegan Rice Dishes
• 📖 Recipe
• Comments

Origins of kedgeree

Classic kedgeree features rice cooked with curry powder and flakes of smoked haddock and the finished dish is usually topped with hard boiled eggs and garnished with chopped parsley. Kedgeree originates from the Indian dish Khichiri which consists of variations of rice, lentils, onions and spices. Millet and mung beans are sometimes used in place of the rice and lentils. Khichiri goes back to the 14th Century and as with most recipes has changed alot since then.

During the mid 1700s British colonists in India were inspired by Indian dishes and their families adapted the meals to the British tastes. These new recipes were brought back to Britain and as with most new recipes they were changed to suit local tastes and somewhere along the line Anglo-Indian Kedgeree was born.

One of the first published recipes for Anglo-India Kedgeree was found in a 1790 Scottish cookery book by Stephana Malcolm. Again this recipe had to be adapted as a few of the exotic ingredients were unavailable in Dumfriesshire, Scotland, but haddock was widely available so this was included within the adapted Scottish Kedgeree dish.

Kedgeree in Victorian Times

During the Victorian times kedgeree was very popular breakfast dish and was served as part of the elaborate middle and upper-classes breakfast spreads. Even though the poorer and working classes did not usually eat Kedgeree as it was considered a luxury meal due to the smoked fish, a recipe for Kedgeree was provided in "Mrs. Beeton's Book of Household Management", [1861]. Beeton's recipe [recipe number 269 in her book]for kedgeree was specifically aimed for the working class. The recipe calls for ''any cold fish'', which by that time was a cheaper option compared to smoked fish. The other ingredients are ''1 teacup of boiled rice, 1oz butter, 1 teaspoon of mustard, 2 soft-boiled eggs, salt and cayenne pepper to taste.'' The instructions were to mix the fish with the other ingredients and to serve very hot. So there is some evidence that a less extravagant form of Kedgeree was prepared by the lower classes.

Other evidence of Kedgeree during the Victorian times comes from the 1895 novel "The Importance of Being Earnest" by Oscar Wilde, where the character Jack Worthing says, "I have been eating kedgeree for breakfast for the last three weeks."

Kedgeree in Downton Abbey Edwardian Times

If your a fan of historical drama you may have seen Kedgeree mentioned in the TV series Downton Abbey which is set in the British Edwardian era. It was the first dish that was served up in the series in Season 1, Episode 1.

In the episode, Mrs. Patmore, the cook at Downton Abbey, is preparing breakfast for the family. She is seen cooking kedgeree in the kitchen. The kedgeree is then served to the family in the dining room and the family enjoys the kedgeree and compliments Mrs. Patmore on her cooking.

Fast forward to present day Britain, kedgeree is still known as a breakfast or brunch meal but as its a cooked meal its usually reserved for less busy days such as celebrations or Bank Holidays, or enjoyed for lunch or dinner. Kedgeree is also a popular option in many Scottish restaurants.

Ingredients for vegan kedgeree

This vegan Kedgeree replaces smoked haddock, or as Mrs Beeton advised as a budget alternative - any cold fish - with smoked tofu. Smoked tofu is an excellent smoked fish substitute as it has a lovely smoked flavour and a pleasant texture. The smoked tofu perfectly compliments the curried rice and peas. The smoked tofu that we used is the Tofoo.co brand which has the added bonus that it doesn't require pressing to remove liquid before using with a recipe.

Smoked tofu is great for this fish-free Kedgeree recipe and its available in many supermarkets [we sourced ours at our local UK Co-Op supermarket] but if you can't get your hands on a pack then you could replace it with plain firm tofu marinated in a couple of teaspoons of liquid smoke or perhaps dusted with a few teaspoons of smoked paprika.

To replace traditional boiled eggs, we simply quartered and sliced some large tomatoes into chunks and nestled these into the finished dish. The residual heat quickly warms and slightly softens the tomatoes which add an extra flavour dimension and a tasty juicy texture.

My family likes frozen peas with rice so we included these in our recipe as well for a nice touch of greenery. The flavourings used for this recipe include garlic powder, onion powder, curry powder and ginger powder, with the optional garnish of traditional fresh parsley which could always be replaced with fresh coriander [cilantro] if preferred. To finish lemon wedges can be offered which does add a nice fresh flavour to the finished kedgeree.

The ingredients you will need are:

• coconut oil (or a small amount of vegetable stock/broth)
• smoked tofu (or ordinary firm tofu marinaded in some smoked paprika or liquid smoke)
• frozen peas (or frozen sweetcorn)
• curry powder (we used a mild Madras powder)
• onion powder (can replace with fresh or frozen onion)
• garlic powder (can replace with fresh or frozen garlic, or a garlic paste)
• ginger powder can replace with fresh or frozen garlic, or a ginger paste)
• basmati rice (can replace with long-grain rice)
• vegetable stock/broth

Garnish:

• sliced salad tomatoes (or cherry or small plum tomatoes)
• fresh parsley or corinader (cilantro)
• lemon wedges

Kedgeree was a favourite breakfast meal of the Victorian and Edwardian upper classes. It was made with rice, smoked fish, hard-boiled eggs, and curry powder. Our version uses smoked tofu, peas, tomatoes, and spices to create a delicious and satisfying meal that is perfect for any time of day. Our recipe is easily adaptable to what you have available so do have a look at the recipe notes for suggestions.

How to prepare

This vegan kedgeree is easy and quick as its cooked in one pan and can be ready to serve up in about 45 minutes. Leftover kedgeree is great for adding to salads or used as a tortilla wrap filling.

Step 1: Heat the coconut oil in a pan, or if using a small amount of vegetable stock instead heat this up.

Step 2: Add the onion powder, garlic powder, ginger powder and curry powder and cook over a medium heat for 3 minutes.

Step 3: Next, add in the rice.

Step 4: Stir the rice through the spices.

Step 5: Add the smoked tofu and the frozen peas.

Step 6: Pour in the vegetable stock and bring to a gentle boil. Cook for 12 minutes.

Step 7: Turn off the heat, and pop a lid over the pan and leave for 10-15 minutes for the rice to finish cooking.

Step 8: Season with salt and pepper, and fluff up the rice with a fork.

Step 9: Garnish with tomato wedges nestled into the rice so that they warm through, and add some chopped fresh parsley. A squeeze of lemon juice is a nice addition.

Recipe Notes

Storage

Leftovers should be cooled quickly and placed in the fridge in a covered container for up to 1 days. Cooked rice dishes need to be cooled and placed in the refrigerator quickly to prevent bacteria growth.

Reheating

To reheat kedgeree place in a non-stick pan or wok and heat it through almost like fried rice or a stir-fry. Use a tablespoon of oil or ½ cup of vegetable stock and over a medium-high heat stir until the rice is piping hot throughout. Reheated rice must be reheated to a steaming hot temperature.

More Vegan Rice Dishes

We love rice and bean recipes as they are so versatile as ingredients can be easily adapted to what you have and they are very budget-friendly. Besides they are easy to make them taste delicious as a few spices and herbs do go a along way. A few of our family favourites and go-to recipes are this Vegan Rice-A-Roni, this Mexican Rice & Bean Casserole, this Vegan Red Beans & Rice and this Slow Cooker Rice & Peas. Our family recipes are not authentic recipes as they are just our vegan takes on traditional meals that have been adapted to our own preferences, so do make these recipes your own and adapt them to your own needs.

***please note: for US measurements click the 'US customary button' within the recipe and the measurements will switch to tablespoons, cups, and ounces.***

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Comments

We would love to know how you got on with the recipe so do pop back and drop us a comment below. All feedback is very much appreciated as it helps us to learn what recipes you are enjoying so then we can publish similar recipes. Thanks so much. Jacq x