“You must try our #MulligatawnySoup. It’s the house speciality” the server suggested. We were out for a rare family outing and I was in the mood for something indulgent. However dad insisted that we try the soup. I must have been 12 and I vividly remember that after just a few spoonfuls I knew that this was not your regular lentil soup. There was a complexity of flavours, several layers infact that made it so uniquely full bodied and flavorful.
Mulligatawny soup originated from South Indian cuisine. In Tamil the word Mulligatawny translates to pepper water. It is related to the soup “rasam”. Due to its popularity in England during British India, the Mulligatawny can well be called one of the earliest Anglo Indian dishes. Infact this dish became so loved that it’s still a staple on pub menus in Britain, though the recipe varies widely.
This is my take on the classic recipe. Hope you enjoy it!
Mulligatawny Soup
Ingredients
- 1 Onion chopped
- 3-4 Garlic Cloves chopped
- 1 Potato cubed
- 1 Celery Stick chopped
- Handful of Cilantro with stem
- 1 Bay Leaf
- 1 Cinnamon Stick
- 2-3 Cardamom Pods
- 5-6 Peppercorns
- 1-2 Green Chillies slit
- 1 tbsp Ghee
- 2 tbsp Coconut Cream
- 1 tsp Turmeric
- 1 tsp Tamarind Paste
- Salt to taste
- 1/2 Cup Red Lentil
- 1 tbsp Coriander for garnish
Instructions
- Heat a skillet and add Ghee
- Add Cinnamon, Cardamom, Bay leaf, Peppercorn and sautee for a minute until their aroma releases
- Add Onion, Celery, Garlic and sautee until translucent
- Add 4 Cups Water, Turmeric, Green Chillies,Coriander and Salt
- Cover and simmer for 20-25 minutes on low heat
- Strain the liquid, add it back to a skillet and add Potatoes and cook for 10-12 minutes until half cooked
- Add the lentil and cook along with the Potatoes
- Cook until soft and remove from the stove
- Add Tamarind Paste and blend the soup to a fine consistency with a hand blender or regular blender
- Transfer the Soup back to a skillet and bring to gentle simmer
- Add Coconut Cream, chopped Coriander and cracked Black Pepper before serving
