Kedgeree (Machchi Ki Kichri)

I can't explain kedgeree to you, not being from around here. But enough people know about it to make it a favorite with some folks. Atul Kochhar is an Indian chef, among the first to get a Michelin star for Indian food in the world. This is his take on it, which has a delicious Indian twist. We used cod and it turned out flaky and translucent. The rice was flavorful and wonderful.

400 g pollack or ling fillet (or any white fish), in 8 slices
1 tablespoon butter or ghee
2 ½ tablespoons vegetable oil
3 cloves
3cm sticks cinnamon
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon cumin seed
20 g ginger, finely chopped
1 small red chili
200 g long-grain white rice
60 g yellow split peas
30 g mung lentils
70 g fresh coconut , grated, or dessicated coconut
½ teaspoon ground turmeric
400 milliliters FISH STOCK
1 ½ teaspoons salt
pinch sugar
1 tablespoon coriander, chopped
CORIANDER AND PEANUT CHUTNEY
100 g coriander leaves
50 g mint leaves
35 g roasted peanuts
10 g fresh ginger, finely chopped
1 green chile, chopped
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon water (whiz all of these up in a blender together until it makes a paste)
MARINADE
½ teaspoon salt
½ tablespoon lemon juice
½ teaspoon red chili powder
½ teaspoon turmeric
Mix together all the ingredients for the marinade and rub them over the fish. Leave to marinate for 30 minutes.

Heat the butter or ghee and a tablespoon of the oil in a large saucepan, add the cloves, cinnamon stick, bay leaf, cumin seeds, ginger and red chilli and cook for about a minute, until they splutter. Add the rice, yellow split peas, mung lentils and coconut and saute for a minute or two. Add the turmeric. fish stock or water, salt and sugar and cook over a low heat for
10-15 minutes, until the rice and lentils are tender. Remove from the heat, sprinkle with the chopped coriander and keep warm.

Heat the remaining oil in a frying pan and fry the pieces of fish over a medium heat for 1-2 minutes per side. Divide the kedgeree between 4 serving bowls, put the fish on top and then top with the coriander and peanut chutney.