Vegan kedgeree with jackfruit and lentils

A vegan kedgeree of spiced basmati rice and lentils with tender chunks of smoky jackfruit as a substitute for smoked fish.

3.89 from 9 votes

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Course: Dinner, Main meals

Cuisine: Gluten free, Indian, New Zealand, Vegan

Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 25

Marinating time: 30

Total Time: 1 5

Servings: 4

Calories: 548kcal

Author: Quite Good Food

Ingredients

For the jackfruit:

1 can unripe jackfruit, (565g/20oz) drained
2 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon brown sugar
½ teaspoon smoked paprika
¼ teaspoon liquid smoke, (optional)
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground pepper

For the kedgeree:

1 cup basmati rice
1 tablespoon cooking oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, grated or finely chopped
Thumb-sized piece of fresh ginger, grated or very finely chopped
1 tablespoon curry powder, (see recipe notes)
¼ teaspoon salt
2 ¼ cups, boiling water
1 can lentils, (400g/14oz) drained and rinsed

To serve:

A handful of cherry tomatoes, halved
1 cucumber, sliced
Lemon wedges, for squeezing
Handful of coriander or parsley, chopped

Instructions

Preheat oven to 220C (430F).
Chop each chunk of jackfruit into 3-4 smaller pieces and discard any seeds you may come across. Combine marinade ingredients and pour over the jackfruit. Use your hands to rub it in and break up the jackfruit a little. Set aside to marinate for around 30 minutes if you can (see notes).
While the jackfruit is marinating, rinse the rice and set aside to soak in plenty of cold water for 15-30 minutes.
Bake the jackfruit for 20-25 minutes, giving it a stir halfway through cooking, then remove from the oven. You're looking for it to have dried out a little, but still be juicy and with a little colour around the edges.
To make the kedgeree, heat the oil in a saucepan that has a lid, over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic and ginger and cook for a few minutes, until softened and fragrant. Add the curry powder and salt, and cook for another minute or two.
Rinse the rice in a sieve until the water runs clear, then add it to the saucepan with 2 ¼ cups of boiling water. Stir to combine, then cover with a lid. Turn down the heat to low and cook for 15 minutes, until the rice is cooked and the liquid has evaporated.
Turn off the heat and let the rice sit, with the lid on, for another 5-10 minutes. Remove the lid and use a fork to gently fluff up the rice. Taste and season with more salt and pepper if needed.
Add the jackfruit and lentils to the rice and gently stir to combine. The heat of the rice will warm the jackfruit and lentils through.
Assemble the kedgeree on a big serving platter, or individual plates, by spreading out the spiced rice and topping it with coriander or parsley, lemon wedges, cherry tomatoes and sliced cucumber.

Notes

Use your choice of mild, medium or hot curry powder depending on your taste for spicy food. Made with mild curry powder, this recipe is child friendly.
Marinating the jackfruit will help infuse the flavour, but if you're short on time it's not essential - just combine the ingredients and get them in the oven.
Use freshly cooked brown or green lentils if you prefer, about ¾ cup.
Serves four as a meal, or more as a side dish.

Nutrition information

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