Mulligatawny soup

With the spices of India, this British creation is a richly seasoned soup, full of vegetables and aromatics that soothe. A dollop of Greek yogurt complements the slightly exotic, broth of this hearty favorite! And the name is such fun to say!

Mulligatawny Soup

2 tablespoons butter 1 tablespoon vegetable oil 4 large chicken thighs bone-in or boneless 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon garam masala 1 tablespoon curry powder 1 teaspoon ground cumin 1/2 teaspoon black pepper 1/4 teaspoon ground mustard 1/4 teaspoon ground coriander pinch of cayenne pepper, or to taste 5 cloves garlic, minced 1 tablespoon peeled and finely minced fresh ginger 1 large onion, diced 2 carrots, peeled and diced 2 stalks celery, diced 2 tablespoon tomato paste 1 cup peeled and cubed Yukon or red potatoes 1 large Granny smith apple, peeled, cored and diced 1/3 cup dry red lentils 3/4 cup diced tomato 1 bay leaf 1 teaspoon tamarind paste or pomegranate molasses, Worcestershire or steak sauce 5 1/2 cups chicken stock 1/4 cup coconut cream or regular heavy cream 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro or fresh parsley 1/4 cup sliced green onion 1 pinch red pepper flakes (optional)

-Melt butter and oil in a soup pot over medium high heat. Add chicken thighs and season with salt. Let brown for 4 -5 minutes. Turn and brown on other side, 4 - 5 minutes longer.

-While chicken browns, combine curry powder, garam masala, cumin, black pepper, mustard, coriander and cayenne in a small bowl.

-Remove browned chicken from the pot and transfer to a plate to cool enough to handle. Remove skin and bone, then, roughly chop or shred the meat.

-While chicken cools, reduce heat to medium and add spice blend to pot. Cook and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add garlic and ginger, cook and stir until fragrant about 1 minute. Add onions, carrots and celery. season with salt and cook, stirring occasionally until the onions are translucent, 3 -4 minutes.

-Stir in tomato paste and continue to cook for an additional 3 minutes. Stir in potatoes, tomatoes, and apples. Add red lentils, bay leaf, and tamarind paste (or substitute). Pour in chicken stock, stir, and raise heat to high then add coconut cream (or heavy cream). Bring to a simmer. Stir and reduce heat to medium-low. Let simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 30 minutes.

-Stir chopped chicken and any accumulated juices into the soup. Continue to simmer, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are fully cooked, lentils are tender, and soup has thickened, 20 to 30 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings as desired.

Serve in bowls topped with Greek yogurt, cilantro, and scallions. Sprinkle with red chili flakes (optional). Makes 8 servings.

Saute the spices, aromatics then add the vegetables and rich stock to the pot.

Add the chicken and simmer until the vegetables are just tender.

Serve with a dollop of Greek yogurt, sprinkled with chopped green onions for a fresh bite of onion.

A hearty soup perfect as a meal or for a cold winter night.

The distinct blend of savory (from the chicken), sweet (from the apple and carrots) and spicy notes (from the Indian spices) create a warm, hearty soup!

And isn’t it pretty - makes you want to dig right in to this British-Indian fusion, specialty soup!

PERSNICKETY NOTES:

**For the chicken, instead of thighs you can use chicken breasts if you prefer. Or as a shortcut, use rotisserie chicken.

**As indicated in the recipe above, tamarind paste can be hard to find, especially in the U.S. The best place to find it would be at an international grocery. However there are several substitutes that can stand in for the tangy, citrusy flavor including pomegranate molasses (also found at international groceries), Worcestershire sauce, or steak sauce.

**Coconut milk is carried in most U.S. grocers but Coconut cream is less common. Regular heavy or whipping cream create the creaminess that the coconut products do but the flavor from the coconut cream gives that bit of Indian flavor that is most often used in authentic recipes.

**The flavors develop and meld when the soup is kept several hours in the refrigerator before serving. Warm the soup up before serving. Keep leftovers in a covered container in the refrigerator for several days or freeze for up to 2 months.