Mulligatawny soup

[shain]

This recipe produces about 2.5 liters of soup. It can be doubled.

 

Ingredients:

 

• 200g (1 cup) dry red lentils (soak overnight for faster cooking)
• 1 liter of water for cooking the lentils
• -
• Some butter
• 2 onions, diced
• 2 carrots, diced
• 1 hot chili, de-seeded and diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 large tart cooking apple, peeled and diced
• 2 tomatoes, diced
• -
• 2-3 tbsp ginger, minced
• -
• Dry spices:
• 2 tsp curry leaves
• 1 tsp "curry powder" (mine is consisting mostly of turmeric, fennel and fenugreek)
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 1 tsp sweet paprika
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 1 tsp thyme
• 1/2 tsp cardamom powder (fresh, otherwise you may need a tad more)
• 1 tsp sugar (I use brown)
• -
• 150-200 ml (apx 3/4 cup) coconut cream (unsweetened)

 

 

• 3/4 liter up to 1 liter of stock or water
• 1-2 tsp wine vinegar (or some lemon juice)
• chopped cilantro
• optional: toasted cashew / pistachios / coconut chips, croutons or crackers for garnish
• optional strained yogurt for garnish

 

Directions:

• Cook the lentils in a liter of water until fully tender.
• -
• Meanwhile, fry the onions in butter until golden.
• Add the carrots and fry until starting to soften.
• Add chili and garlic. Saute until aromatic.
• Add apple and tomatoes, cook until softened (~5 minutes).
• If the vegetables aren't fully cooked to your liking, add water and cook until they are.
• -
• Using a blender, blend smooth the ginger, 1/2 of the lentils and 1/4 to 1/3 of the vegetables.
• Mix it all back together in the pot.
• Add the dry spices, and remaining ingredients (coconut cream, vinegar, cilantro). Add 3/4 to 1 liter of stock/water to reach desired consistency.
• Bring to a low boil, taste and adjust.
  • It should be gently spicy (hot) and gently sweet.
  • It shouldn't be tart, but add vinegar or lemon if it tastes flat or overly sweet.
  • Make sure you can get a good hint of the cardamom, it's what makes this soup for me.

 

 

Edited December 5, 2021 by shain (log)

[kayb]

Thank you! As far as I can recall, I have never had this. Looking forward to trying it!

 

[joiei]

It has been a very long time since I had this soup.  I will be making it this week to warm up.  It is pretty cold here right now.  I can already taste it.  

[Tri2Cook]

I've never made Mulligatawny and I've only eaten it once. I see so many variations on it that it's hard to know which way to go for making it myself. For example, you use lentils, some recipes I've seen call for rice instead and the one time I had it, made by a friend more years ago than I want to think about, had neither... she used chickpeas. Some call for coconut milk/cream, some for regular dairy heavy cream. That's an easy one for me, the coconut is a no-brainer with the flavors involved. Variations on spices aren't a problem, that probably just comes down to personal taste. Anyway, your recipe sounds tasty so that's where I'll start.

[Okanagancook]

For me, I like the spice flavours.  I have been making this soup for probably 30 years.  So if you are new to the soup, make the most basic version and add one or two optional ingredients until you hit your sweet spot.

 

i prefer a more brothy soup so I use spices, chopped onions, a bit of finely diced cooked lamb or chicken, good quality lamb or chicken stock, a little rice or mung Dahl and tomato.  The soup is served with a slice of lemon in the bowl and chopped cilantro.

 

delicious.