Mulligatawny Soup is a rich, fragrant and warming dish that brings together the vibrant flavours of Indian cuisine. Derived from the Tamil words 'milagu’ (pepper) and 'tannir’ (water), this soup was adapted to European tastes during the British colonial period in India, incorporating ingredients such as lentils, vegetables, apples and spices.
Ingredients:
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 medium onions, finely chopped
- 1 large carrot, finely sliced
- 1 stick of celery, finely chopped
- 1 red pepper, finely chopped
- Kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 4 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger, minced
- 1 tablespoon curry powder
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored and finely diced
- 1 1/2 cups split red lentils
- 6 cups low-sodium vegetable stock
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 14.5oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1/2 c. plain full-fat Greek yoghurt, plus extra for garnish
- Juice of half a lemon
- Lemon wedges, to garnish
- Freshly chopped coriander, to garnish
- Cooked rice, to serve
- Naan, to serve
Method of cooking:
Finely chop the onion, carrot, celery and red pepper.
Peel, core and chop the Granny Smith apple.
Chop the garlic and ginger.
Melt the butter in a large saucepan over a medium heat.
Add the finely chopped onion, carrot, celery and red pepper.
Season with a pinch of kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Cook until the vegetables are soft and the onions are translucent, about 5-7 minutes.
Add the minced garlic and ginger to the pan.
Cook for a further 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
Add the curry powder, ground cumin, ground coriander, turmeric and cayenne pepper.
Stir well to coat the vegetables with the spices and cook for a further minute.
Add the finely chopped Granny Smith apple and split red lentils to the pot.
Stir to combine all the ingredients.
Pour in the 6 cups of vegetable stock.
Add the bay leaves.
Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer.
Cover and simmer until the lentils are tender, about 20-25 minutes.
Remove the bay leaves from the pan.
Using an immersion blender, blend the soup until smooth. Alternatively, carefully transfer the soup in batches to a stand mixer and blend until smooth.
If using a hand blender, return the blended soup to the saucepan.
Stir in the drained and rinsed chickpeas.
Simmer for a further 5-10 minutes to heat through.
Stir in 1/2 cup plain full fat Greek yoghurt and the juice of half a lemon.
Pour the soup into bowls.
Garnish with a dollop of Greek yoghurt, freshly chopped coriander and a lemon wedge.
Serve hot with cooked rice and naan on the side.
