Mulligatawny Soup

Mulligatawny Soup

 Is a traditional Anglo-Indian recipe for a soup dish invented in India during the British Raj to cater to the British taste for soups.

Mulligatawny (literally ‘pepper water’) soup is an Anglo-Indian creation of the British Raj; created when the British demanded a soup from a cuisine that had never created one before. The result is excellent and well-worth making.

Ingredients:

1 tbsp ghee (or vegetable oil)

1 onion, chopped

4 garlic cloves, minced

2 tbsp fresh ginger, grated

2 green chilli peppers, chopped 1cm length of cinnamon

5 cloves

2 tsp coriander seeds

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 tsp ground turmeric

4 cardamom pods, bruised

2 curry leaves, shredded

1 carrot, cubed

1 apple, peeled, cored and chopped

1 large potato, peeled and diced

150g (5 oz) red lentils

1.8l (7 1/2 cups) chicken stock

3 tbsp tamarind juice (1 tbsp tamarind pulp mixed with 2 tbsp boiling water and strained) 1 tbsp lemon juice

400ml (1 2/3 cups) coconut milk

2 tbsp fresh, chopped, coriander leaves

Method:

Place the whole spices (cinnamon, coriander, cumin, cloves) in a dry frying pan and heat until they begin to colour and start to release their aroma. Transfer to a coffee grinder and grind to a fine powder. Meanwhile add the ghee (or oil) to a large pan and on low heat cook the onion, garlic, ginger, chillies, spices and curry leaves. Stir frequently and cook until the onion is lightly browned.

Add the carrot, apple, potato, lentils and fry for about a minute then add the chicken stock. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer then cook for about 15–20 minutes, until the vegetables are tender. Discard the cardamom pods and the curry leaves and allow the mixture to cool. Transfer to a blender (in batches if needed) and purée until smooth.

Return the soup back to the pan and add the lemon juice, coconut milk, fresh coriander leaves and tamarind juice (this is made by adding boiling water to tamarind pulp and stirring). Allow the soup to heat through and serve.

The soup can be prepared the day before and if desired you can add small, diced, vegetables such as carrots, fine beans, potatoes to the final mix. It also works well with shredded or diced cooked chicken.