SouperChef Special | Chicken Mulligatawny
(Chicken/Gluten-Free/Egg-Free/Alcohol-Free/Contains Dairy)
It’s a mouthful but this Chicken Mulligatawny (pronounced as mull-eh-gah-TAH-nee) is going to rock your chicken soup world! If you are a Seinfeld’s fan like I am, you will remember the Kramer’s soup from the “Soup Nazi” espisode. Mulligatawny derives from what was originally ‘mullaga’ (pepper) and ‘thanni’ (water) in Tamil. Literally meaning ‘pepper water’, this is quintessentially a marriage of Indian and British ingredients, cultures and tastes. There are limitless renditions of this Anglo-Indian soup, but most will stay true to the love of spicy heat of the Indian and British palates. Story has it that a thin, spicy Madrassi broth known as molo tunny or ‘pepper water’ was frequently served during the British colonial occupation. It was intended to be served with rice but unfamiliar with the soup course that wasn’t predominant then in Indian cuisine, the Indian cooks bulked it with meat and vegetables of all sorts to suit the colonial tastes, making mulligatawny what it is today!
The bright array of ingredients for Chicken Mulligatawny!
Our version is piquantly spiced with homemade curry powder from an assortment of spices, and endowed with split peas, red rice and vegetables. I have specially chosen the condiments of mango chutney, toasted almond and yoghurt to tame the heat down and bring a hint of sweetness to balance the tangy notes from the lemons.
Chicken Mulligatawny
Turmeric is the star souperfood here! Known as the saffron from the earth with anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory properties, it is touted to be one of 2017’s superfoods! The result is a bright soup in both taste and colour — golden-yellow in the pot, and brilliant and happy on the tongue. Enjoy the richness from the chicken and the pleasant warmth from the spices!
Souperfood Feature | Turmeric
Star ingredient, turmeric, in Chicken Mulligatawny.
The main spice behind the beloved curry, turmeric is arguably one of the most precious and powerful spices in the world, with its long impressive list of nutritional properties. A popular Asian ingredient, we know turmeric by its golden-yellow attractive hue and its warm, slightly bitter taste that lends a depth, heat and colour to curries, mustards, marinades etc. Besides its culinary significance, do you know that turmeric also boasts of one of the most extensive histories in medicinal applications? One of the “most researched medicinal plants in history” and “one of the greatest, beneficial medicinal plants in the entire world” according to enthno-botanist and author Christ Kilham, researchers are slowly but surely discovering the more profound benefits of this age-old spice.
The high level of curcumin present in turmeric decreases swelling, making it a superfood with anti-inflammatory properties. Traditionally, turmeric is used in India and other parts of Asia to treat heartburn, stomachaches, jaundice and bloating etc, amongst other health conditions. Now, turmeric has also been found to show promising results in its anti-oxidant, anti-parasitic, anti-malarial and even anti-cancer properties, largely due to its curcumin constituent.
Chicken Mulligatawny, featuring our Asian souperfood, the turmeric!
One of the best news is that we don’t need to consume vats of turmeric to enjoy its health benefits! Simply use it liberally in your food, like we have in this SouperChef Special! With its mild flavour and bright colour, this is the souperfood to use generously in your everyday meals! And it can be found readily in Asia, how great is that!
Ingredients: Marinated chicken thigh, potatoes, carrots, sweet potatoes, chickpeas, red rice, cauliflower, Granny Smith apples, red lentils, yellow split peas, coriander, onions, garlic, turmeric, lemons, cream, milk, ginger, herbs and spices.
Condiments: Toasted almond slices, chopped coriander, mango chutney, lime wedge and yoghurt.