Mulligatawny Soup

Who likes soup with a funny name that tastes great? I like to think of myself as a soup aficionado, so I’m surprised I hadn’t discovered mulligatawny soup earlier. It's pretty simple: mulligatawny soup is just chicken soup with an Indian flair. The story goes that mulligatawny is Indian for "pepper water" and was discovered by the British when they were employees of the East India Company in the 18th century. They took the recipe back home with them and the rest, as they say, is history. There are many different variations of the original, but typically it is a chicken soup base with vegetables, curry (the "pepper" referred to above), chicken, apples and cream to finish it off. Apples may seem like an odd ingredient, but let me assure you it works! In fact, I was quite skeptical about this entire recipe, but it’s been a hit every time. To save on fat and calories I omit the cream entirely, but if you feel extra creaminess is necessary feel free to add it just before serving. I'd say about 1/2 c. would do you just fine but, again, totally unnecessary in my opinion. Enjoy this spicy, rich soup (that is actually good for you) and don't worry if you can't pronounce the name. Just eat and enjoy!

Mulligatawny Soup (adapted from foodnetwork.com)

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast

2 T. olive oil, divided

1 1/4 t. salt, divided

3/4 t. pepper, divided

1 small yellow onion, diced 

4 carrots, diced

4 celery stalks, diced

1 T. + 1 t. curry powder

6 c. low sodium chicken broth 

2 granny smith apples, cored and diced

1/2 c. instant brown rice, cooked according to package directions

1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped

Preheat the oven to 375. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray and place the chicken on the baking sheet. Season with 1 T. of olive oil, 1/4 t. salt and 1/4 t. pepper. Bake for 40 minutes. Allow to cool then dice into cubes to add to the soup later. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large stockpot over medium heat.  Add the onions, carrots and celery.  Saute over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes  Stir in the curry and continue cooking for 3 minutes.  Pour in chicken stock and let simmer 30 minutes.  Add the remaining ingredients (including the cooked, diced chicken) and let simmer for 15 minutes. Serve immediately.

4 servings (275 calories each serving) according to my calculator on loseit.com