Sri Lankan Mulligatawny Soup

Mulligatawny Soup is a curried soup that is literally translated as "pepper water".   I love soups and a spiced up soup is perfect for the cooler days we are having lately. 

I have wanted to add a Sri Lankan Mulligatawny Soup to the blog after seeing so many westernized versions out there.  I talked to my mother about this soup and said the versions I have made with prepared curry powder are just not giving me the right flavor.   She told her recipe/method for Mulligatawny soup so I took that as my outline and made my own version here. 

I like this soup plain, but I also cooked some rice to go with this soup to make it a hearty meal for my family.  Actually, in Sri Lanka it's also served with something we call string hoppers (recipe for the string hoppers will be up someday soon). 

My kids were first not sure if they wanted to eat a curried soup, but I insisted that they taste just a little of it before deciding for sure.  I added some rice and gave them only a half bowl to try out first.  Soon they were bringing their bowls back to me and doing a total "Oliver Twist" by asking for more please.  The second helping was a nice hearty bowl of soup.
 

I saved a helping for my mother to try out so she could give me the official thumbs up or down.  She gave me a thumbs up, but said my broth base was not as thick as she makes her base.  My mother told me that she likes to add small diced potatoes to the soup and this helps thicken the soup more with the starch.  Since I'm more into low carb foods and I try to avoid too much starch in the foods I eat,  I opted not to put potatoes into this version.  Of course, if you like potatoes, add two medium peeled and diced  potatoes to your soup after you add the stock and chicken to the pot.  

Now don't let all the steps and the ingredients intimidate you from making this soup.  If you prep the stock the day before the soup comes together very quickly and it's mostly simmering on the stove until the final few steps. 

So add some peppered water into your life this fall... it will warm you from the inside out.    

Sri Lankan Mulligatawny Soup

by Curry and Comfort

Prep Time: 60 minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes

 (6-8 servings)

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Ingredients 

Chicken Stock:

• 2-3 large chicken breast (skin off, with bone)
• 10 cups of water
• 1 inch stick of cinnamon
• 1 medium onion (rough chop)
• 2 stalks celery cut into large pieces
• 1 carrot cut into large pieces
• salt and black pepper

For Mulligatawny Soup:

• 2 tsp coriander seeds (roasted)
• 1/4 tsp fenugreek seeds (roasted)
• 1 tsp cumin seeds (roasted)
• 1 tsp fennel seeds (roasted)
• 2 tsp white rice (roasted)
• 1/2 Tbs black pepper seeds
• 2 tsp fresh ginger grated
• 2 tsp fresh garlic grated
• 1 cup finely diced celery
• 1 medium onion (red preferable) finely diced
• 1 cup carrots finely diced
• 1 can (10oz) diced tomato with chilies (I used Rotel)
• 8 cups prepared chicken stock with shredded chicken
• red chili powder to taste
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 cup coconut milk
• 1/2 tsp fennel seeds pounded or fennel powder
• 2 tsp lime juice or to taste
• salt to taste

Garnishes:

• Rice
• lime wedges

Instructions

Stock:

1. The day before, make the soup stock by placing all stock ingredients in a pot and bring to a boil.

2. Then lower heat down to medium and simmer for 1 hour. Strain stock and discard all ingredients accept chicken.

3. Shredded chicken off the bone and place back into the strained stock (discard bones).

4. Allow stock to cool to room temperature and place in fridge overnight so any fat will float to the top of stock and congeal.

5. The next day before making soup, skim the fat out of the soup and discard. Set stock aside until needed.

Mulligatawny:

1. In a dry pan lightly roast on medium-low heat the rice, cumin seeds, coriander seeds, fennel seeds and fenugreek seeds until fragrant. Careful not to burn spices. If the spices burn, redo this step.

2. Take the roasted seeds and add black peppercorns. Then either pound in a mortar and pestle or in a spice grinder until powdered finely. Set aside.

3. In a large soup pot, add 2 Tbs of canola oil. On medium heat saute the onions, celery and carrots with a little salt until they start to get tender. Then add ginger and garlic and saute for another 2 minutes.

4. Next add the roasted spices and saute for a minute with the aromatics. Then add the can of diced tomato and green chili.

5. Season with with turmeric and chili powder. Finally add the prepared chicken stock with the shredded chicken. Cook for 25-30 minutes.

6. To finish soup, pound or use powdered fennel and stir into coconut milk. Strain this fennel and coconut milk mixture into soup and stir well.

7. Turn stove off and add lime juice. Stir well and taste for salt and seasoning. Serve hot over rice if you like.

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Chinese Hot and Sour Soup

Chinese Hot and Sour Soup is my daughter's favorite kind of soup. I like the fact that the soup is filled with healthy tofu and mushrooms.  So I had to learn to make it myself and found out it's very easy to make at home.  My version strays from the traditional by using more easily found mushrooms and ingredients.  But it still delivers on the Ying and Yang of the traditional Hot and Sour Soup.

Ingredients at a glance:

• 1 32oz cartoon of chicken broth (equals 4 cups)
• 1/2 slab of organic firm tofu (drain and press the extra liquid out of the tofu then cut into thin strips)
• 5oz of lean pork sliced into thin strips (marinate in 1tsp of soy sauce and 1tsp of cornstarch for 2 hours)
• 1 Tbs of grated ginger
• 1 Tbs of grated garlic
• 1 bunch of scallions divided (green tops and white bottoms separated)
• 1/2 cup of bamboo shoots thinly sliced into strips
• 1/2 cup of canned sliced button mushrooms
• 1 Tbs of cornstarch mixed with 4 Tbs of water
• 1 egg beaten

Note:  have all your ingredients ready to go (sliced and prepped)  This will make the whole process go by faster.

Sauce:  If a range is given, I suggest you start with the lower quantities of each item and add more if needed

• 1-2 Tbs of soy sauce (adjusted if needed)
• 1-2 Tbs of rice wine vinegar (adjusted if needed)
• 1-2 Tbs of cider vinegar (adjusted if needed)
• 2 Tbs of sesame (use full amount here)
• 1-2 Tbs of red chili sambal --such as Sambal Oelek (adjusted if needed)
• 1 tsp of brown sugar
• Mix all ingredients and set aside until cooking time.

Notes:  The quantities used in the sauce depends on your tastes.  If you use sodium free chicken broth or like things more salty use the 2Tbs of soy sauce.  In regards to the vinegar, use the lower quantity suggested and allow the soup to simmer for 10 minutes and taste before adding more vinegar.  Remember you can always add more, but you cannot take out.  To make the soup taste authentic there must be a distinct sour (from the vinegar) and hot from the sambal to make it balance in flavor.

   

In a large wok or soup pot, heat on med-high heat.  Add 1 Tbs of canola oil and stir fry the sliced pork for 1-2 minutes. 

Add the grated ginger and garlic and allow to stir fry for another minute.

Add the canned mushrooms, bamboo shoots and whites of the scallions and stir fry for another minute or two.

Add the sauce and stir fry for another 1 minute.

Add the cartoon of chicken broth and the sliced tofu.  Allow to simmer for 20 minutes.  Taste at the 10 minute mark to see if your flavors are how you want them.  If not, adjust accordingly.

Increase the heat to high and once bubbling, add the cornstarch and water mixture (called a slurry).  Stir well.  This will thicken the soup.

Then slowly add the beaten egg in a stream and stir gently.  The egg will cook in the hot soup.

Taste one more time for the balance of the hot and sour flavors.  If you are happy with them, you can turn off the soup and add the green tops of the scallions.   Serve Hot.

Serves 3-4 people as a meal or 6-8 people as a starter.  Enjoy.