Mulligatawny Soup

Delicate yellow curried chicken and rice soup with apples and herbs is an Indian meal in itself. This soup is the second use for the chicken bones after making Salome's Chicken Bryani. I have learned never to throw out the chicken bones. They make a great stock for chicken soup.

    4 cups reserved chicken stock from Salome's Chicken Bryani
    4 cups water
    2 tablespoons chicken base
    ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
    ¼ teaspoon freshly ground Tellicherry peppercorns
    1 teaspoon mild curry powder
    1 teaspoon garam masala
    1 teaspoon dried parsley
    1 Braeburn apple, peeled, cored and sliced
    1 cup cooked basmati rice
    Chicken pieces from bones
    ½ cup whole milk
    ¾ cup whipping cream
    1 tablespoon orange blossom honey
    1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
    1 tablespoon butter
    1 tablespoon cornstarch
    2 tablespoons cold water


1.  After making Chicken Bryani, the bones and skin are cooked       
     with water for another 2 hours in the oven to produce a stock.
     All the chicken pieces should be saved for this soup.

2.  Pour stock into a 12-quart stockpot. Add the water, chicken
     base, thyme, pepper, curry, masala, parsley and apple. Stir
     well and heat until simmering.

3.  Add the rice and reserved chicken pieces.

4.  Stir in the milk, cream and honey.

5.  Blend the flour and butter with a rubber spatula. Use a whisk
     to add a little hot liquid to the flour/butter mixture. Then,
     whisk this back into the soup.

6.  Mix the cornstarch with the cold water. Whisk in a little hot
     soup. Whisk back into the soup until the soup thickens.

     Makes 4 servings

 

 

 

Salome’s Chicken Bryani

This dish is served with apple mango chutney and curried bananas. In India, spices are blended for each dish.

Chicken

    2 tablespoons canola oil
    1 chicken, cut into pieces
    2 cups chopped yellow onion
    2 teaspoons salt
    4 dried red chiles (chile de árbol)
    2 garlic cloves, crushed in a garlic press
    2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
    1 cup water
    1 cup whole milk
    4 sticks cinnamon, halved
    2 dried bay leaves
    2 ½ teaspoons ground coriander seeds
    2 ½ teaspoons ground cumin seeds
    1 teaspoon ground cardamom
    1 teaspoon ground black pepper
    1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
    ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
    ¼ teaspoon mustard powder
    ¼ teaspoon sweet paprika
    ¼ teaspoon ground fenugreek
    2 tablespoons mild curry powder

Rice

    1 cup reserved juice
    3 cups water
    2 cups uncooked basmati rice
    2 tablespoons butter
    1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Toppings

    Flaked coconut and raisins
    Apple Mango Chutney
    Curried Bananas

1.  Preheat the oven to 350°. In a 5-quart sauté pan, heat oil over
     medium heat. Brown chicken and place in a 4-quart casserole.

2.  Fry onions. Grind salt and chiles and add to the onions with
     the garlic, ginger, water, milk, cinnamon and bay leaves,
     coriander, cumin, cardamom, pepper, nutmeg, allspice,
     mustard, paprika, fenugreek and curry powder. Pour over
     chicken; cover and bake for 1 ½ hours.

3.  Remove from the oven and place the chicken on a platter.
     Reserve 1 cup juice, put in rice cooker. Add 3 cups water,
     rice, butter and lemon juice. Cover and turn cooker on.

4.  In the meantime, remove meat from bones using two forks.  
     Place chicken meat in small bowl and keep warm.

5.  To complete bryani, stir the chicken into cooked rice. Serve
     topped with bananas, coconut, then raisins and chutney.

     Hint: Return bones, skin and remaining juices to casserole.
     Make stock for Mulligatawny Soup by adding 4
     cups water; bake covered in preheated 350° oven 2 hours.

     Strain and refrigerate, discard all the bones and skin.
 
     Makes 4 servings