Mulligatawny soup. Humble vegetables are combined with your favorite protein and spiced up with curry powder to create delicious, heartwarming soup. Crisp apples offer a sweet contrast to this classic comfort dish. With nutritious soup like this, there’s never been a better time to enjoy the cooler weather.
I’m addicted to soups in winter. One one side, a bowl of soup warms you up from the inside out, while on the other side, they’re packed with all the nutrition boosters.
For those who are not familiar with mulligatawny soup, it originated during the period of British rule in India. The word “mulligatawny” translates to pepper water.
As the name suggests, this soup used to be a delicious combo of simple ingredients including locally available vegetables. However, over the years, new ingredients were added resulting in the creation of the modern version of this spicy soup. To be exact, it’s the perfect mash-up of two different cuisines creating one unique recipe that’s not only delicious but also healthy.
To make this mulligatawny soup, you’ll start by heating up a little butter and a little oil in a large pan. You can skip butter and add more oil if you’re thinking about a healthier version of this recipe.
I always want to create nutritious meals for my family, so this soup is going to be loaded with plenty of veggies. In fact, the vegetables take the centerstage in this recipe. A teaspoon of chopped garlic and dried bay leaves along with veggies like carrots and celery make this mulligatawny soup rich and flavorful. The chopped onions get sautéed in the oil/ butter mixture until they’re soft.
The one and only ingredient that’s going to spice up this soup is curry powder. I’ve also added in a few tablespoons of masoor dal or red lentils. Apart from nutrition boost, dal also gives it a thicker consistency.
The chicken pieces are cooked in this amazingly flavorful sauce. When the chicken is cooked, remove from pan and shred into pieces. The tender, juicy pieces of chicken goes back into the sauce later in the recipe.
Another important ingredient that delivers a slight sweetness to this soup are apples. Well, that’s definitely a surprise ingredient in this mulligatawny soup. But, let me tell you, this soup is well-known for its extraordinary combination of flavors. And the apples cooked in that flavorful sauce is beyond delicious.
At the final stage of making this classic soup, you’ll need to add a dash of coconut milk or heavy cream to the soup. Just perfect!
Without a doubt, this is the perfect recipe to cheer up on a gloomy, cold winter day.
Mulligatawny Soup | Video
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 2 tablespoon oil
- 2 cups chopped onions
- 1 cup chopped carrots
- 1 cup chopped celery
- 1 teaspoon chopped garlic
- 2 dried bay leaves
- 2 tablespoon curry powder
- 3 tablespoon masoor dal red lentils
- 200 g boneless chicken breast or thigh fillets, cut into medium-sized pieces
- 2 cups chicken broth chicken stock
- 2 cups water
- 2 apples cored, peeled and chopped (approximately 2 cups)
- ¼ cup coconut milk
- Salt to taste
- 3 cups cooked rice to serve
- Yogurt, coriander (cilantro) leaves, red chili flakes to garnish
Instructions
- Heat butter and oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add onions, carrots, celery, garlic and dried bay leaves. Sauté, stirring occasionally, for 2-3 minutes or until the onions soften. Add curry powder. Stir fry for a few seconds.
- Add red lentils and chicken. Stir to combine. Pour in chicken stock and water. Stir. Cover and cook for 15 minutes or until chicken is tender. Remove cooked chicken from the soup. Set aside to cool slightly.
- Add apples. Cover and cook for 5 minutes or until apples are tender. Meanwhile, shred the chicken into big bite-sized pieces. Add shredded chicken into the soup. Bring to boil. Simmer for 5 minutes. Check the seasoning. Pour in coconut milk. Stir to combine. Heat through.
- To serve, divide rice among 6 bowls. Spoon in a generous amount of mulligatawny soup. Garnish with yogurt, coriander (cilantro) leaves and red chili flakes.
Video
Notes
- To make a vegetarian version of this soup, double the amount of veggies and sub chicken stock with veg stock
Nutrition
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