Chef John's Mulligatawny Soup

Mulligatawny Soup ? So Much More Than Pepper Water

Mulligatawny Soup has been requested hundreds of times over the last decade, and while I have no good excuse as to why it took so long, I'm very glad to have finally filmed an official Food Wishes version. Unlike many iconic dishes, there's no classic recipe, or standard list of ingredients for this soup, which means this version is no more, or less, "authentic" than any other, but since the name translates to "pepper water," it's generally accepted it should be highly-seasoned, and busting with flavor. Check, and check.

The seasoning, and level of spiciness are fairly easy to nail, since you will, as always, taste and adjust, but achieving the perfect level sweetness is a little trickier. We need enough sweetness to balance all this spicy, aromatic heat, but if the soup's too sweet, we'll lose that "can't wait for the next spoonful" feeling. We never want to be tired of a soup taste halfway through the bowl, but that's exactly what can happen if you overdo the sweet/fruity elements.

That's why I didn't include sweet potatoes, which seem to be popular, and avoided adding too much coconut cream, which can make for a too rich, too sweet Mulligatawny. We're letting the subtle, earthy sweetness of apples do most of the work, and I loved the balance of the final product. I tried to err on the side of not quite sweet enough, since you can always sneak in a spoon of sugar if you want, but I believe this formula is very close to perfect. Sure, the ingredient list is long, but this is easy to make, and one of the most delicious soups you'll ever taste, which is why I really hope you give this a try soon. Enjoy!