Fabled Soup

What is it that has made me feel
My iron muscles, and my nerves of steel,
Stiffen'd my sinews, made me stout and brawny?
"It has no name,
As yet to claim,
But seeing 'tis my own invention,
If you approve, 'tis my intention
To call it Mulligatawny!"
The Origin of Mulligatawny By Tuck, the Prior, in The Blue Friars: Their Saying and Doings, London, 1889.

While this poem involving Hercules and cross dressing is interesting, I'm unsure of the merit of its claim. Despite this, the passage does not lie. Mulligatawny, a corruption -- a British corruption; tea wasn't the only Indian serving for which the country developed a tongue -- of the Tamil word milakutanni, meaning "peppered water." Though you'd be hard-pressed to find a standard recipe, most versions of the soup involve the kick of a spice combination, known as a curry, and restrained by the smoothness of coconut. And while a stewy, meat-based version of mulligatawny provides the saltiness and richness you've come to expect from soup, the smooth vegetable version I'll provide here develops a more versatile and much milder, albeit more appreciable flavor served hot or chilled.


Mild Vegetable Mulligatawny

Ingredients:

14 Oz lentils, soaked in cold water for 2 hours then drained
3-4 dried red chiles
1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
2 tablespoons whole coriander seeds
1 teaspoon whole cumin seeds
1 1/2 teaspoon whole fennel seeds
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
4 to 5 cups vegetable stock
2 small potatoes, peeled and diced
2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
2 small turnips, peeled and diced
12 fresh curry leaves or 8 fresh basil leaves
2 garlic cloves, peeled and coarsely chopped
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
3 tablespoons ginger, peeled and finely chopped
1 (14-ounce) can coconut milk
1 1/4 teaspoons salt, or to taste
1 lime cut into wedges
1 bunch fresh cilantro

Method:

Place peppercorns, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, and fennel seeds in a small frying pan set over medium-high heat. Stir and roast spices 3 minutes, stirring vigorously and avoiding burning, or until spices begin releasing aromas. Empty onto plate to cool, then grind into fine powder. Grind chiles, then add chiles, turmeric and cayenne to the spice mixture.

Place lentils in a bowl. Slowly mix in 4 cups of stock.

Combine the lentils, spices, all the vegetables, the curry leaves, garlic, onion, and ginger in a large pan and bring to a boil. Cover, turn the heat down to low, and simmer for one hour or until the vegetables are tender.

Blend the soup in a blender in several batches, if necessary, and press through a coarse sieve. Return the soup to the soup pan, add the coconut milk and salt, and bring to a simmer.

Simmer gently for 2 to 3 minutes to blend the flavors; thin out with more stock, as needed. Serve hot or chilled with lime wedges & fresh cilantro.