Mulligatoni soupA traditional curry soup from India, fragrant, rich and creamy, just what you need to warm you up on a cold winter night.
Recipe review
Why you’ll love it: Mulligatawny soup is hearty and nutritious, and not difficult to make.
How long will it take: 40 minutes
Equipment you will need: Dutch oven or soup pan
Dishes: 6 servings (generously)
Have you ever tried Mulligatoni soup? There are many recipes online to look at, however, I came up with my own version (and I’m not claiming it’s classic or authentic – but it’s delicious). I tried this on my family, not really expecting a great review as my husband is not usually a big curry fan, and mulligatawny is a curry soup.
So I was a little surprised when he liked it. Maybe he was particularly hungry that day or maybe he’s getting used to curry. I check everything on my family and lately, it’s been this curry and this curry: vegetarian curry with cauliflower and chickpeas, pumpkin curry soup, and pumpkin soup (this is a Panera copycat). I have a few more curry recipes coming soon so keep your eyes peeled.
And what’s not to love about this soup? It is thick and creamy, almost like a stew. The seasoning is fragrant and spicy, in a warm and satisfying way, not inside at all. It’s packed with healthy lean chicken and good-for-you veggies too. This recipe is a winner and I really hope you love it as much as we do!
about this recipe
One of the things you’ll love about this soup is that you can have it on the table in less than 45 minutes. This is a fairly uncomplicated recipe. There is the added step of making a white sauce but it’s easy and you can do it while the soup is cooking so it doesn’t take any extra time.
By the way, if you are looking for a non-dairy or vegetarian soup, you will find some ideas for adapting the recipe at Make it yours The section on the recipe card.
Speaking of the recipe card, it is located towards the end of the post. I’ll start here with the recipe and give you some additional tips and helpful information. For specific measurements and instructions, see the recipe card.
what do you need
- Boneless chicken breast: A good source of lean protein, boneless chicken breast is diced into bite-sized pieces that cook quickly. If you prefer dark meat, use boneless chicken thighs instead.
- Onion, celery, green pepper: Sometimes called the “holy trinity,” this trio of savory vegetables is popular in many cultures and is often added to soups and stews to provide a solid flavor base.
- Granny Smith apple: This variety is firm, sour and bright green in color. It adds a little fruity sweetness, a kind of surprising ingredient in this soup. If you can’t find Granny Smith apples, good substitutes are Motso (Crispin), Braiburn, Roma or Jonathan.
- garlic: Add fresh garlic to taste. The recipe calls for two cloves.
- Curry Powder: There are many different curry powder mixes, in fact, you can easily make your own curry powder. Choose your favorite, hot or mild.
- Red pepper flakes: These dried flakes add a spicy heat to this recipe. Mulligatawny soup is traditionally a pepper soup but this recipe is not mouthwatering. If you prefer a milder flavor, use less red pepper flakes.
- Stock or broth: Look for low- or no-salt soup to reduce the sodium level.
- Long grain white rice: Long rice is best for the soup. Shorter rice tends to be too mushy and fall apart.
- Butter, flour, milk: To make the soup creamy, stir in a light white sauce to add towards the end of the cooking time.
- Fresh parsley, optional: A handful of fresh herbs is always a welcome addition to the soup.
how to do it
You will need a large soup pot or dutch oven, and also a smaller pot for the white sauce.
Prepare the ingredients before starting. Start by chopping the onion, celery and pepper. Peel the apple and cut it into small pieces. Grind the garlic. Set it all aside for a minute and cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces.
Cutting board tip
I have a separate cutting board made of synthetic material (not wood) that I use exclusively for preparing meat. This is good practice because you don’t want to cross-fertilize your food with bacteria that may be in the raw meat. After cutting the meat, I immediately put the cutting board in the dishwasher or in hot soapy water.
Let’s start cooking! Heat a little oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Add the chicken, vegetables and apple.
Add a little salt to the pan and cook the chicken and vegetables, stirring frequently, until the vegetables begin to soften, about five minutes.
Add the garlic, red pepper flakes and curry powder.
Cook and stir for about a minute, until the garlic smells wonderful and the spices coat the vegetables and chicken.
Pour in the chicken stock, a can of tomatoes (unfiltered), and rice. Mix well and bring the contents of the pan to a boil. Lower the heat and cook the soup until the rice is soft and cooked, about 20 minutes.
While the soup is cooking, prepare a white sauce in a separate pan. Melt a few tablespoons of butter, add the flour and stir over low heat until the mixture is smooth and a little bubbly.
slowly whisk the milk. Cook over medium heat, stirring fairly constantly, until the mixture reaches a low boil. It will be thick and creamy. Remove the pan from the heat and set it aside.
When the rice is soft, mix the white sauce into the soup.
Doesn’t that look so delicious? Take a moment to check the spices. Add a little salt, if needed, or mix in more curry powder, if desired.
Garnish with chopped parsley and serve with warm naan bread. If you like homemade bread, try making your own flatbread. The recipe is really quite uncomplicated and the bread is so good.
Common questions
According to Sanjay Thoma on his website, and the present, mulligatawny soup is the national soup of India. A literal translation from Tamil, is “pepper water”: Milago means pepper; thani means water. Traditional recipes often include a handful of peppercorns or green chilies.
History (very brief): Soup has a British influence. During the British rule in India, the soldiers demanded a course of fertilizer soup. The servants came up with this variation of pepper mee, a Sri Lankan stew, with chicken and/or mutton. Still popular today, there are many versions of mulligatawny soup.
Make it yours
- Make the soup dairy-free and gluten-free. Remove the white sauce that is added at the end of the cooking time (flour, butter, milk). The soup is excellent without it. Another option is to replace the white sauce with a can of coconut milk.
- vegetarian: Omit the chicken and use vegetable stock instead of chicken stock. If desired, add half a cup of dried red or yellow lentils with the rice.
- Not sure about Curry? Try Creamy Chicken Rice Soup or Slow Cooker Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup. Another recipe we love is Instant Pot Chicken and Rice Soup that is loaded with vegetables and is not creamy.
Ideas for preparing ahead
Although this is a fairly easy recipe to make, you can save time if you prepare the vegetables and apple in advance. They can be kept in a covered container in the refrigerator for at least a day.
Storage and reheating tips
Leftover soup should be cooled immediately in a covered container. It will keep for three to four days.
Heat individual portions in the microwave or heat in a pot over medium heat until they are steamed.
Note: Creamy soups usually do not freeze well. If you want to freeze this soup, either omit the white sauce or add it after thawing the soup.
did you do that? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me @rachelcooksblog Facebook, Instagramor Pinterest!
Dishes
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Mulligatawny soup, a traditional curry soup from India, is fragrant, rich and creamy, perfect to warm you up on a cold winter night.
Instructions
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Over medium-high heat, heat oil in a large soup pan or Dutch oven. Add chicken, celery, green apple, onion, green pepper and salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables soften, 5 to 6 minutes. Add garlic, curry powder and red pepper flakes; Cook for a minute, stirring constantly, until fragrant.
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Add chicken stock, tomatoes and rice; bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for 20 minutes or until the rice is ready.
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Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Stir in flour, cook until a puffy mixture is obtained. Gradually whisk in milk. Cook while stirring constantly until the mixture comes to a boil and thickens. Remove from the heat.
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When the rice is ready, gradually stir the milk mixture into the soup. Keep warm on low heat until serving.
Remarks
- Nutritional information calculated using 2% milk. Each serving is about 1¾ cups of soup.
- Make the soup dairy-free and gluten-free. Remove the white sauce that is added at the end of the cooking time (flour, butter, milk). The soup is excellent without it. Another option is to replace the white sauce with a can of coconut milk.
- vegetarian: Omit the chicken and use vegetable stock instead of chicken stock. If desired, add half a cup of red or yellow lentils.
Nutritional information
dose: 1.75cups, Calories: 334KKL, Carbohydrates: 35G, protein: 25G, Oil: 11G, Saturated fat: 5G, Polyunsaturated fat: 1G, Unsaturated fat: 4G, trans fat: 0.2G, Cholesterol: 65mg, sodium: 698mg, potassium: 903mg, fiber: 4G, Sugar: 11G, vitamin: 538IU, Vitamin C: 21mg, calcium: 158mg, iron: 2mg
This site provides approximate nutritional information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutritional data is primarily collected from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or other online calculators.
