Mulligatawny Soup

Well here it is just after 5:00 AM as I write this. We had our first rainy day at the beach yesterday – actually heavy cloud until just about the time I was putting dinner together when it started raining that soft misty steady rain common in this area. No wonder it’s so beautifully green and this morning everything seems even greener, fresh and bright. It’s much too early in the day to know what it’s going to bring but you know what? It matters not one bit.

Last night’s menu was another beach favorite and perfect for a rainy cool evening. This particular brand of chicken and rice soup is not just good for the soul, it’s a treat to the taste buds.  From lemon rind, to curry, to tart apples and coconut milk, this piquant Indian soup contains enough spice to make you sit up and say howdy …where you been all my life?

We had it along with some biscuits – yes, they’re biscuits not scones. Hey…who says biscuits have to be round plus the fact I don’t have a biscuit cutter and yes, I admit the cook is definitely somewhat lazy. Forming the mass of dough into a flat disc and cutting it is a lot easier that making a mess cutting round shapes and re-rolling the lot so you can make more.

I also whipped up a little peach and strawberry pie that took an eternity to cook. Think I’ll have to get a thermometer for the oven – oh dear. Anyway, here’s a pic of it but no recipe. It’s just your usual fruit pie filling, a little bit of sugar (1/2 cup), a touch of cinnamon, couple of tablespoons of flour and enough peaches and strawberries to fill it up.

So what did we do at the beach yesterday? Well we hit Diane’s Gym to work some of the vacation calories off our bod’s then came home to a bowl of steelcut oats, followed by a drive around the Bay to check out a house I’d found on the internet. Unfortunately someone beat us to it and the sale is closing, which is likely a good thing since the timing’s all wrong but it’s fun to look anyway – and dream. Today we’re heading to the gym again, then we’ll take you all for a long walk on the beach and who knows what else.

Oh, here’s the soup recipe.  If, like us you like curry, you’re gonna’ love this pot of golden yummy goodness.

Mulligatawny Soup

2 Tablespoons butter

1 large onion, chopped

2 medium carrots, diced

2 ribs celery, diced

3 large chicken thighs, skinned, boned and cut into half inch pieces

3 Tablespoons flour

3 teaspoons curry

1 teaspoon Garam Masala

1 bay leaf

4 cups chicken stock

1 package pre-cooked Uncle Ben’s Basmati Rice

1 Granny Smith apple, peeled and cut into quarter inch dice

1 teaspoon salt

Coarse ground black pepper to taste

Grated rind from one lemon

1/2 cup coconut milk (lite)

In a large soup pot, melt butter. Add onion, carrot and celery and sauté until onion is soft. Move vegetables to one side and add chicken. Cook until chicken is no longer pink, then add flour, curry, and Garam Masala. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Add Chicken stock bring to a boil stirring constantly, then reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Add rice, apple, salt and pepper. Simmer for another 15 minutes. Add lemon rind. Remove from heat, and add coconut milk. Cover and let sit for 5 minutes before serving. Serves 4.

Note to self - another rainy misty day on the coast but who cares really. It's just an excuse to get wet, sandy, dirty and then take another nice hot shower. Max is in heaven and so are we! We just met up with our first relatively unfriendly Waldportian at the Waldport Public Library when we tried to join as per their web site information. It said they welcomed visitors, but you know what...they don't so we're back at the Yachats Library instead.  They like us here.

Comments

[Mags]

Your soup sounds delicious and I'm so impressed with you guys keeping up the exercise while on vacation. Good for you!

[pam]

Perfect soup for a rainy vacation day!

[June]

Mags - yes aren't we the two virtuous idiots - hey, it's vacation and we LIKE no...LOVE that extra martini before dinner.

Pam - it was and even better leftover. We've had two glorious "moisture" filled days ...love it! I no longer have deep wrinkle craters on my face...now they're just the usual size for a woman of my age. Talk about a cheap facelift! LOL

[Nanan]

Poo poo on the cranky librarian! - Yum yum to the soup - I think I will make some this week - even if it is hot hehehehe - we have the A/C on and we can pretend! - we get rain every afternoon - by gosh!
And - you are on vacation - what the heck are you doing up at 5am?????? - if you say rolling over and going back to sleep I say ok - but other than that?????? What the heck??????

[June]

Lea - I know. We saw that cranky librarian at the local grocery store yesterday and I wanted to kick him in the knees. I mean it is a PUBLIC LIBRARY for darn sake. As for 5 AM - that's our usual time and Max gets his medication at that hour. What can I say - I can't complain cause I'm sleeping a minimum 2 hours in the afternoon. Ha.

[Shaun]

Oh I so love mulligatawny soup, especially this time of year with all the rain and wind, think I'll make a batch of this between crimbo and new year, we dont make what you guys call 'biscuits' but I've got some cheeky mini naan breads in the freezer perfect for dipping. Of course this soup is steeped in our history, a throw back to our colonial past in India, but its not very popular now though so thanks for the reminder and recipe.

[June]

Shaun - It really is perfect cold weather food, isn't it? The naan sounds perfect! You just reminded me that the best Lamb Vindaloo I've ever had in my life was enjoyed in London in the late 80's. Man...my mouth's watering (and eyes are tearing up) just from the thought of it. Ha.

[Shaun]

Well well, my son and I have just had a curry, chicken tikka masala for him, lamb bhuna for me! Vindaloo I love but prefer the original recipe with pork.

[Shaun]

I lived in the east end of London in the nineties, huge asian community, thats where my love of curry comes from! In fact thinking about it, my little town Boston where I live now in ye olde England has 3 italian restaurants, 6 Chinese, and 7 Indians...lol!

[June]

While all 3 are fairly popular here, Mexican restaurants outnumber the others no doubt due to geography as we're only about 50 miles from the border.