Victorian Pish-pash

Victorian Pish-pash is a traditional Anglo-Indian recipe from the 1860s for a classic one-pot dish of chicken and rice in a lightly-spiced base. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic Anglo-Indian version of: Victorian Pish-pash.

prep time

15 minutes

cook time

50 minutes

Total Time:

65 minutes

Serves:

4

Rating:

Tags : CurrySpice RecipesChicken RecipesFusion RecipesBritish Recipes

This is a traditional Anglo-Indian recipe redacted from the volume THE INDIAN COOKERY BOOK: A Practical Handbook to The Kitchen in India (author unknown), published by: WYMAN & CO., HARE STREET CALCUTTA circa 1869.
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Original Recipe

4.—Pish-Pash

Pick and wash in several waters a coonkee or half a pound of the bassmuttee or other fine-grain
rice; add to it, cleaned and cut up, a chicken, some sliced ginger, sliced onions, a few bay-leaves,
some peppercorns, a few hotspice, a dessertspoonful of salt, one chittack or two ounces of butter,
and water sufficient to cover the whole. Simmer over a slow fire until the chicken becomes perfectly
tender and the rice quite pappy. Serve up hot. This is considered a most excellent and nutritious
meal for invalids.

Modern Redaction

This remains a classic Anglo-Indian dish, still prepared today. Modern versions, however, tend to include potato and are often served with egg (whether soft-boiled, fried or poached). See my pish-pash recipe for the modern version.

Ingredients:

4 chicken portions (drumsticks and/or thighs)
225g basmati rice, well washed
1/2 tsp ginger, grated
1 onion, finely sliced
2 Indian bay leaves
1/2 tsp black peppercorns, cracked
2 red chillies, finely chopped
1/4 tsp mustard powder
3 green cardamom pods, crushed
1 tsp salt
60g butter or ghee

Method:

Melt the butter in a pan, add the chicken and onion and stir-fry for 6 minutes, until the onion is tender and lightly coloured.

Add the ginger, black peppercorns, chillies, mustard powder and cardamom pods. Stir-fry for 2 minutes then add the washed rice and stir to combine.

Scatter over the salt and mustard powder then pour over just enough water to cover everything. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook gently for about 30 minutes, or until the rice is tender and just starting to break up.

Serve hot.

Find more Victorian Recipes Here and more Curry Recipes Here. For the original version of The Indian Cookery book see my The Indian Cookery Book main page.