Mulligatawny (Curried Chicken & Lentil Soup)

Photo: GeoTrinity · CC BY-SA 3.0 · source

An Anglo-Indian classic: a gently spiced curry soup of chicken, red lentils, apple and coconut milk, served over a spoonful of basmati. It's warming, a little sweet and very satisfying.

Ingredients

• 1½ lb boneless chicken thighs
• 1 cup red lentils, rinsed
• 8 cups chicken broth
• 1 can coconut milk
• 1 tart apple, peeled and diced
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 carrots, diced
• 2 celery stalks, diced
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tbsp grated ginger
• 2 tbsp curry powder
• 1 cup basmati rice, for serving
• 1 lemon, juiced
• cilantro, for serving

From your pantry: 2 tbsp oil, ½ tsp ground cumin, 2 tsp salt, ½ tsp pepper.

Instructions

1. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Cook the onion, carrots and celery until soft, 8 minutes. Stir in the garlic, ginger, curry powder and cumin and cook until fragrant, 1 minute.
2. Add the broth, lentils, apple, whole chicken thighs, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then simmer partly covered until the lentils break down and the chicken is tender, 25 minutes. Start the rice meanwhile.
3. Lift out the chicken and shred it with two forks. Blend about half the soup with an immersion blender to thicken it, leaving some texture.
4. Stir in the coconut milk and shredded chicken and simmer 5 minutes. Add lemon juice and taste for salt.
5. Spoon rice into bowls, ladle the soup over, and top with cilantro.

Tip: Toast the curry powder in the oil for a full minute before adding liquid. It takes the raw, dusty edge off the spices.

Nutrition per serving

Good for

You might also like

Butter Chicken45 min · 945 kcal · 51 g proteinChana Masala35 min · 580 kcal · 17 g proteinOne-Pot Chicken Biryani60 min · 520 kcal · 33 g proteinDal Tadka (Spiced Red Lentils)35 min · 575 kcal · 22 g proteinPalak Paneer35 min · 640 kcal · 28 g proteinIndian Masala Omelet with Buttered Toast20 min · 555 kcal · 26 g proteinKanda Poha (Flattened Rice with Peas & Peanuts)25 min · 520 kcal · 12 g proteinChicken Tikka Kathi Rolls with Mint Chutney35 min · 780 kcal · 41 g protein