A proper mulligatawny soup!

Here’s a dish that isn’t seen very often on the menus of Atlanta Indian restaurants, mulligatawny soup, that is of Anglo Indian origin, created during the British Raj of India.

If you’re good at cooking Indian food, all you really have to do is convert a really good lentil dish called “massoor daal” and turn it into a soup with the addition of some vegetarian or meat stock, vegetables of your choice and some sort of meat, such as chicken, beef, lamb or even pork.

The type of “lentil” used here is the brown lentil often available at most supermarkets but definitely at Indo-Pak stores and some “Asian Markets.”

Soak the lentils for several hours prior to cooking or even overnight if possible to cut down on cooking time.

Personally, I have never tried it with the addition of coconut milk or garnished it with fruit – just wouldn’t work but that too is up to you…

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 large onions, chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

2 dashes cloves

2 dashes cinnamon

1 tablespoons garam masala

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon turmeric

1 teaspoon curry powder

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

2 bay leaves

salt and pepper to taste

1 pound meat of your choice

vegetarian or meat stock to cover ingredients, or bouillon powder and water

2 cups dried brown “massoor” lentils, soaked overnight preferably

2 stalks celery, chopped

1 large jalapeno pepper with seeds removed or 1 capsicum (bell pepper), chopped

2 carrots, chopped

Garnish:

1 handful chopped fresh coriander or cilantro per serving

fresh lemon juice

cooked basmati rice (optional)

Method:

Fry onions and add garlic when onions turn transparent, add the meat and brown lightly. Add bay leaves and other spices and vegetable, covering with stock or water and bouillon powder. Cover and boil until meat is cooked thoroughly and lentils have split.

It can also be served with a good dollop of your choice of rice if you like and garnished with fresh coriander or “cilantro” as it is called in North America and a good squeeze of lemon or lime. Enjoy!