Mulligatawny

I wish you were sitting at my kitchen counter right now, so I could ladle up a bowl of this magnificent soup for you!  If only you could taste it: the full flavor, the creamy, chickeny goodness that finishes with a delectable little bite of heat.  Each spoonful offers a medley of tender vegetables, ranging from carrots and celery to onion, garlic and turnips.  Diced tomatoes take it up another notch, and softly cooked brown rice provides a mellow foundation for all that culinary drama.

My first taste of Mulligatawny Soup was at the restaurant I most admire in the whole wide world: Hearthstone Bistro, located in my Hubby's home town of Muskegon, Michigan.  Every day they make a different handcrafted, innovative soup.  They're famous for interesting garnishes, like popcorn atop cheese soup.  Each week they feature a new kind of sandwich that you probably haven't heard of before, and yet you love it!  Go ahead, check out that link, and choose their menu tab if you want to be impressed.  I savored many a memorable meal at that place, and Hearthstone's existence may be incentive enough for me to one day retire with my Hubby on that side of the lake!

Well, Mulligatawny used to be one of the regular soups in their rotation.  I never knew their secret recipe;  instead I developed my own version with a little trial and error.  Mine is a bit spicier, if I correctly recall.  I also include turnips to change it up.  And I'm guessing my version is lower in fat because I substitute of half & half for the heavy whipping cream they quite likely utilize.  However, the chicken, rice and curry flavor are similar.

 

Don't you just love a big heap of raw vegetables?  Chopping veggies is pure therapy for me.  It can be for you, too!  Just change the way you think and talk about meal prep.  Tell yourself that you enjoy cooking, that you love knowing that your family will be eating fresh, healthful foods.

Mulligatawny is fun and easy to make.  Don't let the list of spices/seasonings give you a moment's pause.  Just do it, before it gets too hot out to enjoy soup!

Final note:  when you cook the chicken, make a little extra for another time.  For example, this morning I simmered four split chicken breasts (including bones, skin and ribs) in 8 cups of water with peppercorns, a dash of salt, a carrot and some celery for about 35 minutes to cook the chicken and create a simple stock.  This is not the exact method I use when I'm serious about a dark, rich stock, but it worked well for the immediate need.  

The result was seven cups of a beautiful light stock and nearly eight cups of perfectly cooked chicken.  I used half the chicken and six cups of broth for this recipe.  Another two cups of shredded chicken will go into my Asian BBQ Chicken Won-Tons this weekend;  two more cups of chicken and the last cup of broth will be frozen to make Chicken Pot Pie later on.

You can use any pre-cooked chicken and employ your own or store-bought chicken broth or stock to taste. Or dice up uncooked chicken breast and throw it in right away when you are cooking the vegetables in this soup.

  

Mulligatawny

an original recipe by Kelly Jo Vanderstelt

1.  Bring to a boil, then simmer for a half-hour:

• 6 Cups of Chicken Stock
• 1 - 15 oz. can of Diced Tomatoes, with its juices
• 4 Carrots, peeled and sliced
• 2 Stalks of Celery, thinly sliced into half-moons
• 2 Turnips, waxy coating peeled off and diced
• 1 large Onion, diced
• 4 Cloves of Garlic, minced
• 1 Cup Brown Rice, uncooked

2.  After simmering (when rice is well-cooked), season:

• 1 1/2 Tsp. Curry Powder
• 1 Tsp. Better than Bouillon Chicken
• 1 Tsp. Salt
• 1/2 Tsp. Chili Powder
• 1/2 Tsp. Pepper

3.  Stir in and heat through:

• 3 to 4 Cups Chicken, already cooked and diced

4. Remove from heat and stir in:

• 1 Cup Half & Half

5. Garnish with fresh Parsley and a shake of Parmesan Cheese.

Serves about 12.