Mulligatawny Soup

Do you remember the Seinfeld episode with the "Soup Nazi"? Elaine orders Mulligatawny Soup. That was the first time I had ever heard of it. I had no idea what it was and had never tasted it. Years later, I came across this recipe looking for a hearty soup to make, and remembered the Seinfeld episode. Mulligatawny is a traditional curry soup originating from India. It has everything I love in a soup-pieces of chicken, lots of vegetables, a creamy base, plus lots of spice. And, all the ingredients are naturally gluten free, no need to substitute. (just be sure to check your chicken stock is gluten free). You'll find many recipes with different ingredients, but I really like this version by Emeril Lagasse. The hardest part about making this soup is that it requires alot of chopping. If you chop all of the vegetables first, assembling it will go quickly. The spice in this recipe is garam masala, a blend of spices used in Indian cuisine that includes Coriander, Black Pepper, Cumin, Cardamom, and Cinnamon. You can find this in the spice section of your supermarket. Serve it with Basmati Rice, if you've never tried it, it has a nutty flavor and a fragrant scent while cooking. A perfect soup for a cold winter day!

Mulligatawny Soup                                                                                             
(Adapted from Emeril Lagasse's  recipe)
(Printable Recipe)

4 tbsps butter
2 tbsps garam masala
1 1/2 lbs boneless,skinless chicken thighs, diced
1 large onion, diced
1 large carrot, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
3 cloves minced garlic
2 tbsps minced ginger
1 Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored and diced
1 Yukon Gold potato, peeled and diced
1 sweet potato, peeled and diced
1 cup red lentils
6 cups gluten free chicken stock
1 zucchini, diced
1 yellow squash, diced
1 cup baby spinach
1 cup diced tomatoes(fresh or canned)
1-14 ounce can unsweetened coconut milk
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
Salt
Pepper
Cooked rice

Chop all of the vegetables, try to make them the same size.

Season the chicken with the garam masala and 1/4 tsp salt. Melt the butter in a 4 quart pan. Saute the chicken in the butter until browned. Transfer the chicken to a plate. 

In the same pan, add the onions, carrots and celery. Saute for 5 minutes. Add the garlic, ginger and apples. Saute 8 minutes. Add the potato, sweet potato, lentils and chicken stock. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook about 10 minutes until the potatoes are tender. Add the reserved chicken, zucchini, squash, spinach, coconut milk and tomatoes. Cook 10 to 15 minutes longer until the vegetables are tender. Remove from heat, add the cider vinegar. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve with cooked rice.