New Pi Eats

Mulliga-what?

16 Jun 2011 2 Comments

by New Pi Eats in Entrees, Soups Tags: British, cozy soup, curried soup, curry, English, Indian, lentil soup, mulligatawny, warm soup

So, now I’m on the wrong season (thank you Iowa weather gods). Yesterday morning it was cold and rainy, so I was in a soupy mood. Well, I mean “a mood for soup,” but my mood may have been a little on the soupy side as well.

Anyway. I wanted warming, I wanted comforting, so I found the right recipe… and then the sun came out and now it’s gorgeous. That’s preferable – don’t get me wrong! But as my good girlfriend put it, “It tastes like Christmas.” She’s right – in a good, earthy way, though.

If you’re not familiar with Mulligatawny Soup, it’s sort of an Indo-English curried lentil soup. It’s common in England, of Indian origin certainly. Often it’s made with apples. This recipe didn’t call for apples, but for quite a bit of lemon juice and some coconut milk. I went ahead and garnished my version with apple pieces though, and that definitely made it.

The garam masala gives the soup that warmth – and when I say warmth, your body warms up from the inside out. It’s an Indian spice mix that often contains cinnamon, cloves, allspice, cardamom, and all kinds of cozy, heady-scented things. I used the garam masala from our bulk herb section from Frontier and have not a single complaint.

Mulligatawny Soup

Serves about 8

5 garlic cloves, chopped

Make a spice plate, measuring out garam masala, coriander, turmeric, cayenne pepper, and bay leaves. Add garlic to onions and sauté 2 minutes. Add the contents of the spice plate and stir a minute, until fragrant. Add lentils and stir until coated. Pour in chicken broth, which will deglaze the pan and incorporate any yummy browning that’s stuck to the pan.

Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium, and simmer until lentils are very tender, about 20 minutes. Discard bay leaves.

Puree until smooth with an immersion blender, or in a blender or food processor in batches. Stir in chicken and simmer for about five minutes if it’s raw, then add coconut milk and lemon juice. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Serve over cooked rice, garnishing with sliced apple bits and lemon wedges.