Mulligatawny is an English soup with origins in Indian cuisene. The word comes from the Tamil word meaning pepper water. There are various variations, this one uses chicken and ham as the
meat base, although most tinned soups contain beef or ox tail as the base. Other versions include lamb and vegetables. The one Crazy Chef is cooking can be seen on YouTube on this link.
Ingredients:
Two whole chicken breasts chopped. Chopped ham. Two chopped white onions.
50 g of butter and some Olive oil.
Three teaspoons of corn flour mixed with some water, for use as a thickening agent.
Herbs: Marjoram, Oregano, Cloves, and Mace. Fresh Basil leaves and sprigs of Thyme.
Cream, pepper and salt. Madras Curry paste.
Method:
Melt 50g of butter in a stainless saucepan on the hob and add a few glugs of Olive oil. Brown the chicken breast and then transfer them to a separate bowl.
To the empty pan add some more Olive oil and cook the onions and garlic. Add a teaspoon of sugar to help with the browning (caramelisation). Add half a tablespoon of Madras curry paste (add more later if needed) and taste. Add the flour to thicken the mixture.
Gradually add one litre of chicken stock (half to start with) and stir. Add a pinch of Mace, fresh Basil leaves, a couple of sprigs of Thyme and a few cloves. Add the chopped ham and put the chicken back in the pan. Stir well and allow to simmer for 20 - 30 minutes and add a couple of squirts of lemon juice. Tast and add some more curry paste if needed together with salt and pepper to taste. After simmering and checking for tenderness of the meat, take out the Basil leaves, Thyme sprigs and whole Cloves. Keep tasting and add water or thickening flour if needed to make the consistency that you prefer.
When ready take off the heat and add 250ml of single cream, being careful not to allow it to split. Now it is cream of Mulligatawny!
Share out into two or three soup bowls and serve with crusty French bread.
If you do it another way why not add some comments below.