Favorite Chicken Mulligatawny Soup

Mulligatawny is the Anglo-Indian soup the British East India Company brought home in the 19th century, adapted from a Tamil pepper-water recipe (the name literally means “pepper water"). This Anglo version softens the heat and adds the kind of European thickening (a butter-flour roux) that turns it into a substantial, almost stew-like dish.

Curry powder bloomed in butter is what defines the soup. The spices toast briefly with the flour to wake up their flavor before the chicken broth goes in. Diced apple added near the end is the unexpected note. The fruit’s slight sweetness balances the curry’s warmth and gives the broth a roundness you can’t get any other way.

Diced cooked chicken (rotisserie works perfectly) and a handful of long-grain rice make it a one-bowl meal. Serve with crusty bread or naan to mop up the broth.

Chef Tips

• Toast the curry powder and flour in the hot fat for a full minute before adding broth (the recipe specifies it). Untoasted curry tastes raw and dusty.
• Use a mild, balanced curry powder, not Madras hot. The Anglo-Indian style leans warm and aromatic, not blazing.
• Pick a tart apple variety like Granny Smith or Braeburn. Sweet apples disappear into the soup; tart ones hold their shape and add brightness.
• Add the rice early and the apples late. Rice needs the full 35 minutes to cook through; apples soften in 10 to 15 minutes and turn to mush if added too soon.
• For a richer finish, swirl in 2 tablespoons of cream or coconut milk just before serving.

Variations

• Use coconut milk for half the broth and add a squeeze of lime for a more South Indian profile.
• Stir in 1 tablespoon of mango chutney at the end for a sweeter, more authentic Anglo-Indian flavor.
• Replace chicken with shredded leftover roast lamb for the traditional British version of this soup.