Around the World In 80 Foods...Comforting Kedgeree With A Far-Flung Siberian Twist!

Just the other day I was having a rather heated debate with four old friends of mine...archaeologists working on a dig in the wilds of the Scottish Hebrides, over the birthplace of a particular dish whose origins are shrouded in mystery. One might ask, if we were really all so chummy, why we working ourselves up into a right tizzy over a meal of fish, rice and boiled eggs? Ah, well...all I can say is that this dull and depressing definition of a dish called Kedgeree, to which I am referring, is precisely the reason why you cannot comprehend the depth of the quandary in which we were in. The meal itself is, in a a simple word, delicious. Mmmm...no, comforting, the others correct me. Nnnoooo no, mouth-watering...rich...savory...tempting...enticing....luscious, exquisite...Okay, I tell the others, that's enough! Having all come from a different country, each one wants the opportunity to claim this culinary wonder as his or her own. America...mmmm...nope, sorry, I tell Regal McClaren and Shepherd Hardy. Not a Pilgrim recipe...that I know of, anyway. Holland....Uh-uh...strike that out, I reluctantly tell our Dutch/South African Mona VanArk, who gives me a little pout and turns away. Iceland...wrong again, I whisper with deference to our beloved Ragnar Magnusson, who takes it all in with a graceful nod of his head. Scotland. Ah, now THERE is where the quandary lies. For some among our crew insist that this dish originated from the wizardry of a Swami's kitchen, and was then brought to Victorian England, and from thence melded gently with the already solid and renowned Scottish cuisine, which gave it the "final touch". Others, however, believe this dish also to have Indian origins, but insist that instead of traveling to England, it pointed it's savory snout north and waltzed into the posh courts of the Russian czars, who welcomed it with open arms and inscribed it permanently on their "favorites" menu. One thing that everyone CAN agree on, is that the dish is elevated in the extreme by eliminating the step of stewing the tomatoes in with the onions and garlic, and instead smothering the top of this steaming dish with, and I quote, "Gobs and Gobs of fresh garden tomatoes."The conclusion of the whole matter has ended with my writing down the recipe at a frantic pace which you may find below, and after giving you the opportunity to make it for yourselves, I will let you come to your own conclusions of just where this phenomenal fare was born. Bon Appetite!

2 and 1/2 cans salmon

4 cu. cooked rice

1 very large white onion

5 garlic cloves

1 and 1/2 Tbsp. curry powder

oil for sauteing

3-4 Tbsp. grated ginger root

2 bay leaves

1 and 1/4 tsp cardamon 

1 tsp. salt (more if desired)

6 hard boiled eggs

gobs of fresh garden tomatoes

Saute onion, ginger and garlic, add salmon, spices, and eggs, heat through slowly. In a pot, bring 4 cups of water to a boil, add 2 cups white rice, cover and reduce heat, cook til soft. Add rice to the rest of the ingredients, stir together. Top with tomatoes and serve hot.