Slow-Cooker Mulligatawny Soup

By Sarah DiGregorio

Updated November 10, 2022

  • David Malosh for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.
Media 1 of 1
Total Time
6 hours and 10 minutes
Rating
4(1,430)
Comments
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This soup is the result of British colonizers’ encounters with rasam, a souplike dish from Tamil Nadu, a region in southern India, that’s often made with lentils. “Milagu tannir,” or pepper water, evolved into mulligatawny when the British made it thick, chunky and meaty. In her book “From Curries to Kabobs,” the author Madhur Jaffrey wrote that mulligatawny was “an essential part of my childhood,” as she ate it at the homes of Anglo-Indian friends and in hotels on vacation. Mulligatawny now bears no resemblance to rasam and has many variations; it is a dish that was invented and modified for colonizers’ palates, and thus it has few rules. Ms. Jaffrey noted that “some curry powder has to be included for a true East-West flavor,” as curry powder is more British than Indian. This slow-cooker version is thickened with masoor dal and coconut cream, and enriched with chicken thighs and tart apple.

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Ingredients

Yield:6 servings

  • ¼ cup vegetable oil

  • 8 garlic cloves, smashed and chopped

  • 2 carrots, peeled and sliced

  • 2 celery stalks, sliced

  • 1 large apple, preferably Granny Smith, peeled, cored and chopped

  • 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-size chunks

  • 1 cup masoor dal (split red lentils)

  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste

  • 2 tablespoons minced ginger (from about 2 inches of peeled ginger)

  • 2 teaspoons black or brown mustard seeds

  • 1 teaspoon ground turmeric

  • 1 teaspoon curry powder

  • ½ teaspoon ground cayenne, plus more to taste

  • ½ teaspoon cumin seeds

  • 1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt, plus more to taste

  • 4 cups chicken broth or stock

  • 1 (5-ounce) can coconut cream (about ⅔ cup)

  • Juice of 1 lime (about 1½ tablespoons)

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)

38 grams carbs; 76 milligrams cholesterol; 479 calories; 9 grams monosaturated fat; 3 grams polyunsaturated fat; 10 grams saturated fat; 25 grams fat; 6 grams fiber; 686 milligrams sodium; 29 grams protein; 8 grams sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Combine all the ingredients except the coconut cream and lime juice in a 6- to 8-quart slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours.

  2. Step 2

    Stir in the coconut cream and lime juice. Taste and add more salt if necessary. Serve in bowls topped with a dusting of cayenne, if desired.

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Ratings

4 out of 5
1,430 user ratings
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Comments

MT

An excellent flavor profile & nice mix of plant & animal proteins. No need to use a slow cooker though, these ingredients will cook quickly in a pot. I used the slow cooker & made the following changes, which I highly recommend: 1) In step 1, add 1/2 head of cauliflower, in small florets 2) Omit the 1/2 cup oil...not needed! 3) Substitute 1/2 cup coconut milk instead of coconut cream 4) When adding coconut milk & lime juice, also add a cup or so of chopped frozen spinach

terry94705

To the question about adding onion: if you add raw onion to the slow cooker you never get the sweetness of a lightly fried onion. I would leave it out, as Sarah does, or lightly fry it before adding to the cooker.

slowin

Inthe stove-top version of this recipe, there is also one minced onion. Why is it not in this recipe?

Scott

We thought this was divine. Subbed a can of chickpeas for the chicken and added some fresh chopped cilantro at the end. Filling and nutritious with a side of naan.

Mary Ruth

Delicious as is! I will add more chicken next time plus the spinach suggested.

Katherine

This was absolutely delicious! It earned raves at our family game night. I added half a head of cauliflower as others suggested. I will definitely be making this again when I need a make-ahead dish.

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