Mulligatawny Soup

Chicken-vegetable curry soup

Although the name Mulligatawny Soup rolls off the tongue easily enough.  Let’s just call this Chicken-vegetable curry soup.  Or Call it what you want but I’m telling you this soup was fantastic. Chicken cooked with the traditional spices of India, with Potatoes and Apples.  Yes Apples.  Granny Smith Apples.  Which I have to say worked very well with the potatoes.  I was pleasantly surprised by that. The recipe says the unsweetened Coconut Cream is optional, but I’m here to tell you, It’s not.  The coconut cream set this soup up to being one of the best soups of the year so far.  Yeah I know it’s only January 6th and it’s a long year.  But alongside the other Indian spices like curry, garam masala, and ginger, this soup was out of this world delicious.   And then if you count the aroma, and you should, it sends this recipe into the third dimension.

Prep Time: 30 mins  Cook Time: 1 hrs 10 mins. Total Time: 1 hrs 40 mins. Servings: 8-10

Ingredients

• 3 Tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1-lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt, or more to taste
• 1 tablespoon curry powder
• 1 teaspoon garam masala
• ½ teaspoon ground cumin
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• ¼ teaspoon ground mustard
• ¼ teaspoon ground coriander
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger
• 1 large yellow onion, diced
• 2 large carrots, diced
• 2 stalks celery, diced
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1-1/2 cups cubed Yukon Gold potatoes
• ½ cup seeded and diced tomato
• 2 small Granny Smith apples – peeled, cored, and diced
• ½ cup dry red lentils
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 teaspoon tamarind paste(optional)
• 6 cups chicken broth
• 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut cream (Optional)I really like coconut cream in this soup

Garnish:

• ½ cup plain Greek yogurt or sour cream to taste
• ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro, or to taste
• ¼ cup sliced green onion, or to taste
• 1 pinch red pepper flakes, or to taste

Directions

1. Melt butter and oil in a soup pot over medium-high heat. Add chicken thighs and season with salt; let brown for 4 to 5 minutes. Flip and brown on the opposite side, 4 to 5 minutes more.
   
2. While chicken browns, combine curry powder, garam masala, cumin, black pepper, ground mustard, coriander, and cayenne in a small bowl.
   
3. Remove browned chicken from the pot and transfer to a plate to cool enough to handle; roughly chop or shred.
   
4. While the 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, until onions turn translucent, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in tomato paste and continue to cook for 3 minutes more. Stir in potatoes, tomatoes, and apples. Add red lentils, bay leaf, and tamarind paste.
   
5. Pour in chicken broth, stir, and raise heat to high; add coconut cream. Bring to a simmer. Stir and reduce heat to medium-low. Let simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 20 minutes.
   
6. Stir chopped chicken and any accumulated juices into the soup. Continue to let simmer, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are fully cooked, lentils are tender, and soup has thickened, 20 to 25 minutes more. Taste and adjust as needed.
   
7. Serve in warm bowls topped with Greek yogurt, cilantro, and scallions. Sprinkle with red chili flakes.
   

Chef’s Notes: Recipe by Chef John

If you want to use all butter, or all oil, for browning the chicken, feel free.

You can use any kind of potato you prefer.