MULLIGATAWNY CHICKEN SOUP

Mulligatawny Soup

Mulligatawny Soup was actually the anglicized version of the Tamil “Melligu -Thani”. (“Melligu” meaning pepper and “Thani” meaning water). As the name suggests it was originally Pepper Water that took its origins in the Madras Presidency during the days of the Raj. However in course of time a lot of other ingredients such coconut, meat and other spices were added to give it a completely different flavour. The dish quickly became popular throughout the colonies of the Common Wealth. The Mulligatawny Soup of today bears little resemblance to the original ‘MELLIGU –THANI’

Mulligatawny Soup can be prepared with meat or poultry as per one's choice. In the olden days the left over beef bones (the meat was used for the curries and fries) were used in its preparation.

Attaching an old recipe for Mulligatawny Soup from the Original Madras Cookery Book. Here gram flour or Besan is made use of instead of Lentils or dal. Coconut is also one of the ingredients. This book is my prized possession as it was my Grandmother’s, then my mum’s. It was written by an ‘Unknown Resident’ and first published in 1874 by Higginbotham and Co Madras, and was reprinted for the 4^th time in February 1901. I have the 1901 edition.

Recipe for Chicken  Mulligatawny
Serves 6

Time Required: 45 minutes to 1 hour
Ingredients
½ kg chicken (with the bones) chopped into medium size pieces
3 tablespoons Red Lentils / Masur Dhal 
1 teaspoon chillie powder
2 teaspoons pepper powder
1 teaspoon cumin powder
1 teaspoon coriander powder
1teaspoon crushed garlic
2 big onions sliced
1 cup coconut paste or coconut milk
1 tablespoon vinegar 
2 Bay leaves
2 pieces cinnamon bark (about one inch in size)
Salt to taste
1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint for garnishing 

Juice of 1 lime or lemon

Cook the chicken and all the ingredients with 6 to 8 cups of water in a large vessel on high heat till it reaches boiling point. Lower the heat and simmer for at least one hour till the soup is nice and thick. Garnish with mint or coriander leaves. Squeeze lime juice while still hot.

Serve with bread or rice.

RAILWAY LAMB / MUTTON CURRY

RAILWAY LAMB / MUTTON CURRY

 There is a certain glamour about Anglo-Indian cuisine with its quaint names like Railway Lamb Curry, Dak Bungalow Curry, Grandma’s Country Captain Chicken, etc. The names of these dishes, especially the ‘Railway Lamb Curry conjures up scenes of leisurely travel by train in the early 1900s  -  of tables covered with snow white table cloths laid with gleaming china and cutlery, of turbaned waiters and bearers serving this tasty slightly tangy Curry dish with Rolls and Crusty White Bread to the Aristocratic British and Indian Travelers in Railway Dining and Refreshment Rooms and in First Class Cabin Cars on long distance trains.

 Serves 3     Preparation Time 45 minutes to one hour

Ingredients

½ kg mutton or lamb cut into medium size pieces     

6 peppercorns

2 big onions sliced                

2 pieces cinnamon

2 cloves

2 cardamoms

8 to 10 curry leaves

4 red chilies broken into bits

1 teaspoon chillie powder

1 teaspoon ginger garlic paste

Salt to taste          

2 tablespoons oil

2 tablespoons vinegar or ½ cup of tamarind juice

Mix the lamb or mutton  with the ginger garlic paste, salt and the chillie powder.

Heat oil in a pan and fry the onions, curry leaves, red chillies and spices till golden brown.  

Add the meat and mix well.  Fry for a few minutes. Add the vinegar or Tamarind juice and sufficient water and cook on medium heat till the meat is done.

Simmer on low heat till the gravy is sufficiently thick and dark brown.

Note: You could substitute any meat for lamb / mutton if desired.

ANGLO-INDIAN PORK ROAST

ANGLO-INDIAN PORK ROAST

Serves 6   Time required: 1 hour

1 chunk of pork weighing around 2 kg (rump or chump end)

3 whole potatoes peeled

3 whole red chillies broken into bits

1 teaspoon ground black pepper powder

1 teaspoon chillie powder   

1 teaspoon pepper corns

3 cloves

3 one inch pieces of cinamon

1 Bay leaf

 Salt to taste

2 tablespoons vinegar

Marinate the Pork with the salt, vinegar, chillie powder and ground black pepper. Place in a suitable pan or over proof dish together with the red chillies, peppercorns, spices, bay leaf and fry for 2 or 3   minutes on low heat. Add the whole potatoes and sufficient water. Simmer on low heat turning the pork around till nicely browned on all sides.(Alternately, the pork roast can be made in an oven)

Serve with Bread, Potato Mash and steamed vegetables. 

GOOD FRIDAY RICE GRUEL OR CONGEE - A RICE AND LENTILS GRUEL

Good Friday is a day of fast and abstinence. Most Christians would have just one simple meal at mid day on Good friday. This Rice and Lentil Porridge / Gruel / Congee is normally prepared and eaten in most Christian Homes on Good Friday in India. I'm sharing this recipe for all those who would like to continue with the tradition of having this simple dish on Good Friday. 

GOOD FRIDAY RICE AND COCONUT GRUEL (Rice Congee)

Serves 6  preparation time 1 hour

1 cup Raw Rice

3  tablespoons Moong Dhal / Yellow Lentils 

¼ cup Sugar or Jaggery 

½ cup grated coconut or 1 cup coconut milk

2 tablespoons broken cashew nuts and raisins 

A pinch of salt

Wash the rice and soak it for half an hour in a little water. Dry roast the Moong Dhal lightly in a pan and take down.  Boil 3 cups of water and the salt in a suitable pan and when boiling add the rice and the roasted Moong Dhal. Cook on low heat till the rice and dhal are soft. Add the coconut, sugar/ jaggery and raisins and simmer for 4 to 5 minutes. The Congee should be of the consistency of thick soup. Serve plain or with Cocoanut chutney.  (omit the sugar or jaggery if desired)

This Congee is usually eaten on Good Friday

ANGLO-INDIAN PORK PEPPER FRY

ANGLO-INDIAN PORK PEPPER FRY
This is an easy and simple dish to prepare.

Serves 6      Time required: 1 hour  

Ingredients

1 kg tender pork (belly portion) cut into cubes

2 green chillies sliced

3 onions sliced finely

2 teaspoons chopped garlic

1 teaspoon chopped ginger

2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper /  pepper powder

Salt to taste

Cook the pork with a little salt and a pinch of turmeric in sufficient water till tender. Strain the soup and keep aside.

Heat the oil in a pan and sauté the onions, ginger, garlic, and green chillies till slightly brown. 

Add the cooked pork, pepper powder, and salt and fry for a few minutes. 

Add the left over soup / stock and mix well. 

Simmer on low heat till almost dry and dark in colour.