MULLIGATAWNY SOUP
Mulligatawny—-that can’t possibly be right, can it? And it probably isn’t. Back when the British ruled India, in addition to wearing the heavy dress clothes of England, they wanted a hot soup course with dinner. The cooks watered down, and tamed down, a delicious Tamil stew, called “pepper water”—because of its hot spicy ingredients. The name was lost in translation, but the soup traveled back to England—in as many different versions as there were families carrying a recipe. The basic ingredients are still chicken, rice, vegetables, apples and curry. Toasted warm spices, ginger, coriander, cumin, garam masala, etc, as well as additional heat, chopped chiles and hot curry, are sometimes added. And now, in its many versions, it’s popular in English pubs and Indian take-aways.
Tamil cuisine—toasted warm spices and some heat— now popular in English pubs and Indian take-aways.
- 2 tblsp butter
- 1 tblsp olive oil
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 celery stalks, chopped
- 2 carrots, chopped
- 2 bay leaves
- 2-4 tsps curry powder (to taste)
- 2 tblsp flour
- 2-3 chicken thighs, skin and fat removed
- 4-5 cups liquid—mixed chicken broth and water
- 1 tsp sea salt
- ¼ cup uncooked basmati rice
- 1 tart apple, chopped—Granny Smith, etc
- ¼ cup cream or half & half
- Yogurt or sour cream and chopped chives or parsley for garnish (optional)
Heat butter and olive oil in large soup pot—sauté onion, carrots and celery until starting to soften. Add the bay leaves, flour and curry powder and stir well. Add the chicken and stir to coat. Add stock and water, then salt. Heat to a simmer, cover pot and cook for about 20 minutes. Check chicken for doneness—165’, then remove from pot and allow to cool. Add apples and rice to pot—cover and continue simmering for about 15 minutes, until rice is cooked. Meanwhile, shred the chicken, discarding bones and cartilage. When rice is cooked, add chicken to pot and reheat. Add cream or half & half to 1 cup of soup, then add back into pot to bring soup to desired consistency.
The Kitchen Hive
