The Best Mulligatawny Soup Recipe: A Creamy, Spicy, and Flavorful Anglo-Indian Delight
Mulligatawny is an astonishingly flavorful soup, celebrated for its rich blend of vegetables and tender chunks of chicken, all suspended in a luxurious, subtly spicy, and wonderfully creamy curry broth. This is the kind of soup that leaves you craving more with every spoonful. Prepare a generous pot of it, and you’ll be amazed at how quickly it vanishes. If you plan to savor it later, you might need to discreetly set some aside for freezing. Its unique combination of warmth and exotic spices makes it a truly irresistible culinary experience.
RIDDLE: What culinary creation can manifest as a hearty, stew-like gumbo, a silky-smooth purée, or a delicate, light broth? What dish can be served steaming hot or refreshingly cold, intensely spicy or gently mild, delightfully chunky or elegantly smooth, and even balance sweet and sour notes? It can grace your table as a light appetizer, a delightful dessert, or a truly satisfying, rib-sticking meal. This versatile food can incorporate an endless array of ingredients, from wholesome vegetables, succulent meats, and fresh seafoods, to vibrant fruits, aromatic herbs, exotic spices, and nutritious legumes, or any imaginative combination thereof. It can be elegantly presented in a bowl or casually sipped from a cup. You can adorn it with a myriad of toppings to customize every bite. Above all, it embodies the ultimate comfort food, yet it can also ignite the most exciting culinary adventures. Every culture across the globe proudly claims its own version.
Come on, you know the answer . . . it’s SOUP!!!
Indeed, what other food possesses such incredible adaptability and universal appeal? The world of soup is a boundless canvas for creativity and nourishment, offering endless possibilities for every palate and occasion.
If you were to ask me about my absolute favorite dish to cook, my answer would consistently be . . . SOUP. It also happens to be my favorite thing to eat. I genuinely believe I could enjoy soup every single day and never grow tired of its comforting embrace and diverse flavors.
My Undying Love for Soup: A Culinary Journey
Soup truly stands as a category of food entirely unto itself, a testament to its incredible versatility and cultural significance. Just consider the sheer number of distinct soup varieties that originate from every corner of the globe! Each one tells a story of its region, its ingredients, and its people. This rich tapestry of global soups offers a journey for your taste buds, from the zesty and vibrant to the deeply comforting and robust. The beauty of soup lies in its ability to adapt to local ingredients and traditions, creating an endless culinary landscape to explore.
- Shrimp Laksa from Thailand, a vibrant and spicy coconut curry noodle soup.
- Tortilla Soup from Mexico, often featuring a rich tomato-chili broth, crispy tortilla strips, and fresh avocado.
- Lohikeitto, a creamy and delicate salmon soup from Finland, perfect for a chilly day.
- Borscht from Russia, a striking red beet soup, often served with a dollop of sour cream.
- Gazpacho from Spain, a refreshing cold soup made from ripe tomatoes and other raw vegetables.
- Garlic Soup from France, a surprisingly light yet deeply flavorful broth-based soup.
- Dill Pickle Soup from Hungary, an intriguing and tangy creation that delights the adventurous palate.
- and countless more delicious soup recipes awaiting discovery right here at Kitchen Frau!
One of the most enjoyable aspects of cooking soups is the incredible freedom it offers for experimentation and personalization. You can continuously tweak, adapt, and add ingredients as you go, truly making each batch your own unique creation. It feels like you could invent a brand new soup every single day, drawing inspiration from whatever ingredients are on hand. Whether it’s repurposing yesterday’s leftovers or utilizing the fresh produce from your crisper drawer, soup is the ultimate vehicle for culinary resourcefulness. Alternatively, you can delve into specific, unique soup recipes that have been tried and tested, perhaps seeking out specialty ingredients to capture an authentic flavor. The exploration never ends; you could embark on a culinary journey spanning different cultures from around the world, trying a new recipe every day for years without ever repeating the same soup twice. This endless discovery is what makes soup-making so endlessly fascinating and rewarding.
For many years, while our children were growing up, we hosted a lively Christmas party every December, often with around 30 guests. The highlight was always a boisterous card game similar to ‘Spoons,’ but played with such enthusiasm that it became a full-contact sport! Adults and kids alike would often find themselves rolling on the floor, wrestling for the coveted spoons, with a pack of band-aids always on standby for minor casualties. For these festive gatherings, I would lovingly prepare three enormous vats of soup, each a different variety, ensuring there was something for everyone. After the exhilarating games, we’d all gather to feast until we were delightfully full. I made it a point to create three entirely new soup varieties each year, ensuring no repeats and keeping the culinary offerings fresh and exciting. Soups are truly a magnificent way to feed a crowd; they are not only economical but can also be made ahead of time, a huge advantage when entertaining. In fact, many soups develop even deeper, more complex flavors on the second day, making them perfect for meal prepping or large gatherings.
Just last year, Raymond, my husband, asked me to prepare a soup for his staff potluck party. I gladly made a huge pot of my signature mulligatawny soup and sent it along. The feedback was overwhelmingly positive, with rave reviews and numerous requests for the recipe. Apparently, his colleagues were even playfully fighting over the leftovers, which is always a great sign! The challenge, however, was that I had never meticulously followed an actual recipe for my mulligatawny. Instead, I had always relied on intuition, tossing in ingredients until it tasted just right. Consequently, each batch of soup I made, while always delicious, was slightly different from the last.
What Exactly is Mulligatawny Soup? A Journey Through Its Anglo-Indian Roots
Mulligatawny soup finds its origins in the rich culinary traditions of South India and Sri Lanka. The very name “Mulligatawny” is a fascinating linguistic blend, derived from the Tamil words miḷagāy (மிளகாய், meaning ‘chilli’) or miḷagu (மிளகு, meaning ‘pepper’), combined with taṇṇi (தண்ணி, meaning ‘water’). This etymology immediately hints at its spicy, liquid nature. The soup truly gained prominence and evolved when British colonists returned to England after their postings in India. They found themselves yearning for the vibrant, warm spices and rich, complex flavors they had grown accustomed to in that hot, sunny land. The comparatively bland British cuisine of the era simply couldn’t satisfy the sensual and exciting culinary experiences that Indian food offered. In an effort to recapture that nostalgic longing for India, they began developing dishes that evoked those cherished flavors. Mulligatawny emerged as a British interpretation of what they imagined an Indian soup should taste like – vaguely reminiscent of a curry, but often milder and specifically adapted to suit the European palate. Despite its Anglo-Indian fusion, its light yet deeply rich and comforting flavor profile is absolutely addictive, making it a beloved soup to this day.
I’ve been making my own version of mulligatawny for years, and it has gradually, but wonderfully, morphed into the precise recipe I prepare today. When my kids were young, my “mulligatawny” was a simpler affair. I’d make a large pot of chicken and rice soup, adding garlic, bay leaves, a hint of star anise, a can of diced tomatoes, and a good dose of curry powder, and proudly call it mulligatawny (regardless of its true authenticity at the time!). It quickly became a standard family favorite, a comforting meal everyone looked forward to. Over the years, my culinary explorations led to enhancements: I first introduced fresh ginger, then added diced apples for a touch of sweet-tartness, followed by a few more carefully selected spices, and finally, a can of creamy coconut milk. Each addition refined the soup, transforming it into the incredibly flavor-loaded, addictively rich, and perfectly spiced soup that our family now absolutely adores. It’s a testament to how recipes can evolve and improve over time, reflecting tastes and experiences.
This year, much to my delight, Raymond’s colleagues once again requested my special mulligatawny for their staff party. I set out to recreate what I remembered making before, but after tasting, I realized the soup was a bit too gingery and perhaps a touch too spicy for a broader audience. This experience became the catalyst I needed to finally buckle down and meticulously document specific ingredient amounts for this beloved soup. After a bit of dedicated trial and careful measuring, I have finally arrived at the definitive version of mulligatawny that perfectly aligns with our family’s preferences. It’s truly a labor of love that balances all the wonderful flavors beautifully. I sincerely hope that you, too, will find it as delightful as we do. If you decide to make it, please don’t hesitate to share your thoughts – I would absolutely love to hear what you think!
Why This Mulligatawny Soup Will Become Your New Favorite:
- **Loaded with Flavor:** Every spoonful bursts with a complex symphony of spices and fresh ingredients, ensuring a deeply satisfying taste experience.
- **Perfectly Balanced:** This recipe achieves an exquisite equilibrium of spicy, sweet, savory, and tangy notes, making it incredibly harmonious.
- **Wonderfully Gingery and Garlicky:** The fresh ginger and garlic provide a vibrant, aromatic base that truly defines the soup’s character.
- **Subtly Fruity:** The addition of diced apples introduces a delicate sweetness and tartness that brightens the overall flavor profile without overpowering it.
- **Just Right Spicy:** It offers a pleasant warmth that lingers gently, without being overwhelmingly hot, suitable for most palates.
- **Packed with Vegetables:** Filled with wholesome carrots, celery, and onions, providing both nutrition and delightful texture.
- **Generous Chunks of Chicken:** Hearty pieces of chicken ensure this soup is not just flavorful but also a substantial and filling meal.
- **Lusciously Creamy:** The coconut milk adds a rich, velvety texture that makes each bite incredibly comforting and luxurious.
- **A Huge Potful:** This recipe yields a large quantity, perfect for feeding a family, entertaining guests, or ensuring you have plenty of leftovers to enjoy. You’ll definitely want this much!
- **Freezer-Friendly:** It holds up beautifully in the freezer, making it an excellent option for meal prep and convenient future meals.
- **Downright Addictive:** Be warned, once you try this Mulligatawny, it’s hard to stop at just one bowl!
And now, I am thrilled to share this cherished recipe with you.
Guten Appetit!
* * * * *
Mulligatawny Soup
Margaret Bose Johnson
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Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons (60ml) ghee or olive oil
- 2 cups chopped onion 2 medium onions
- 2 cups diced celery 4 to 5 stalks
- 2 cups diced carrots 4 medium carrots
- 2 tablespoons finely minced or grated fresh ginger
- 2 tablespoons finely minced or grated garlic (6 cloves)
- 2 tablespoons curry powder mild or medium heat level
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 teaspoons fine sea salt plus up to 1½ teaspoons more, to taste
- 2 large sweet-tart, firm-cooking apples, unpeeled, cored, and diced like Honeycrisp, Pink Lady, Jonagold, Braeburn, Gala, Fuji
- 4 bay leaves
- 4 whole star anise pods
- ½ cup (110gms) short grain rice
- 1 can (19 oz/540m)l diced tomatoes with their juice
- 8 cups (1.92litres) good quality chicken broth homemade or purchased
- 4 cups (600gms) diced cooked chicken
- 1 can (400ml) full-fat coconut milk
Instructions
- Heat the ghee or olive oil in a large stockpot over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, carrots, and ginger, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes.
- Add the garlic, curry powder, turmeric, thyme, 2 teaspoons salt, and pepper, and cook for 3 more minutes, stirring often.
- Cut the apples into quarters and cut out the cores (leave the peels on). Cut each quarter into 4 wedges, then cut the wedges crosswise into 4 pieces each. Add the apples to the vegetables.
- Add the bay leaves, star anise, rice, tomatoes, and chicken broth. Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring once or twice during that time.
- Add the diced chicken and cook for 5 more minutes.
- Stir in the coconut milk. Taste the soup and add more salt if it needs it. The salt needed will depend on how salty your chicken broth was to start with – start by adding ½ teaspoon and keep adding more until it suits your taste.
- Remove the bay leaves and star anise pods (or leave them in and let diners fish them out themselves) – they’re not edible.
- The mulligatawny soup tastes even better the next day, and also freezes well.
- Makes about 5 quarts (10 servings of 2 cups each).
Notes
Star anise can be found in spice stores, import stores, or the Asian section of large supermarkets. The whole pods keep for several years, and you can also use them for making my famous chicken stock or killer gravy.
Cooked rotisserie chicken will work for this recipe, or bake or boil a few chicken breasts and thighs to use in the soup.
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