I used to live in Reston, Virginia, and occasionally ate at a nearby Indian restaurant. They served a soup that was so heavenly, so warm and lovely in my tummy, creamy and flavorful. I always asked for the recipe, and the owner always just smiled and shook his head, no. I’ve been trying to re-create that soup ever since. Here’s a version that comes close.
Mulligatawny Soup
Ingredients
- 1 onion chopped
- 1 carrot diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 teaspoons ginger root grated
- 1 apple peeled and diced
- 1 can tomatoes diced
- 1 tablespoon curry powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/3 teaspoon cardamom
- 1/2 teaspoon thyme
- 1/2 cup red lentils
- 3 cups vegetable broth
- 2/3 cup coconut milk (I use light)
Instructions
- Sauté the onion and carrot for a few minutes; add the garlic and ginger and cook another minute.
- Add all of the spices and stir to coat the vegetables.
- Add the apples, diced tomatoes, lentils, and broth. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 30 minutes.
- With an immersion blender, puree most of the soup. I leave a few little chunks for texture.
- Stir in the coconut milk. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Notes
For my cooking demonstration on Facebook, I pre-cooked the lentils in the microwave (10 minutes, with the broth) and apple (5 minutes). Still, I like to simmer the soup a full 30 minutes to develop flavor.
I find this doesn’t need salt because it has so many spices.
Garnish the soup with some toasted cashews, or chopped green onion, or a drizzle of plant-based yogurt.