Hot smoked salmon kedgeree with soft-poached eggs recipe

Cover the rice with water and leave to soak for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the vegetable oil in a large saucepan. Add the onion and cook gently over a medium heat for 5 minutes, until soft but not browned. Add the cardamom, turmeric, cinnamon and bay leaves and cook for 1 minute.

Drain the rice, add to the pan and stir well. Add the stock and a little seasoning, bring to the boil and stir once to release any rice from the bottom of the pan. Cover with a lid, reduce the heat to low and cook gently for 30 minutes.

Uncover the rice and remove the bay leaves, cinnamon and cardamom pods. Gently fork in the hot-smoked salmon, cover again and return to a low heat for 5 minutes or until the fish is heated through. Gently stir in the parsley and season to taste. Keep warm by covering with foil.

Meanwhile, bring a medium-size pan of water to the boil, then lower the heat so that just a few bubbles are rising. Add the vinegar. Break 1 egg into a teacup. Swirl the water with a spoon to make a whirlpool and slide the egg into the centre to poach gently for 21/2 minutes. Lift onto kitchen paper to drain, then keep warm on a plate while you cook the remaining eggs (confident cooks can cook all the eggs at the same time).

Divide the kedgeree between warmed plates, top with a poached egg and serve immediately.