Mulligatawny Soup

Description
Mulligatawny soup is a comforting dish that marries Indian and British ingredients, creating a one-pot soup that's fragrant, creamy and mildly spicy.
Ingredients
- tablespoons dried split pigeon peas
- 3 tablespoons uncooked basmati rice
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 piece fresh gingerroot (about 1 in.), peeled and minced
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 2 tablespoons ghee
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 1 bay leaf
- 6 medium carrots, chopped
- 2 medium apples, peeled and chopped
- 2 celery ribs, chopped
- 1-1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 4 cups reduced-sodium vegetable broth
- 3/4 cup coconut milk
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- hot cooked rice
- 1/2 teaspoon garam masala, optional
- 1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground pepper, optional
Directions
- In a small bowl, combine pigeon peas and rice; cover with warm water. Let soak 5-10 minutes; drain.
- In a spice grinder, or with a mortar and pestle, combine garlic, ginger, chili powder, turmeric, coriander and cumin; grind until a paste forms.
- In a Dutch oven, melt ghee over medium heat. Add onion, spice paste and bay leaf. Cook until fragrant, 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add carrots, apples, celery, salt and pepper; cook until vegetables are crisp-tender, 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in broth, and soaked pigeon peas and rice mixture. Bring to a low simmer; cook until peas are tender, 20-25 minutes. Discard bay leaf.
- Stir in coconut milk and lemon juice. Serve soup in bowls with hot cooked rice. Sprinkle with garam masala and black pepper if desired.