Name: Vegan Mulligatawny Soup
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 2 tsp Oil; 1 Medium Onion, chopped; 2 Garlic cloves, finely minced; 1" Ginger, grated; 1~2 Green Chilies, slit; 1 Medium Potato, diced; 2 Medium Carrot, peeled and diced; 2 Medium Tomatoes, diced; 1~2 tsp Curry powder; ½ tsp Turmeric; ½ cup Red Lentils/ Masoor Dal, rinsed and drained; 2½ cups Vegetable broth; To taste Salt & Pepper; ½ cup Coconut milk; 2 tbsp Cilantro, finely chopped; 1 tbsp Lime/ Lemon juice; 2 tbsp Roasted Cashews (optional)

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Vegan Mulligatawny Soup is creamy, hearty soup made with with lentils. It is perfect for chilly weather. Serve it with rice/ bread for a complete & filling meal.

Mulligatawny soup is a British-Indian fusion dish that is quite popular item in many Indian restaurants even in the US. The first time I saw it on the menu, I couldn't even pronounce the name properly. Actually, I have never tried it at any restaurant because most of them don't serve a vegetarian option. But I was always intrigued on what it was and how it was made.

What is Mulligatawny Soup?

It is an English version of a South Indian soup from Tamil Nadu. Milagu means pepper and thanni means water -- so this soup literally means 'pepper water'. Don't ask me how 'milagu thanni' ended up being Mulligatawny soup!!

Well apparently the soup became popular with the British stationed in India during the colonial times, in the late 18th century. So when they returned home, they brought back the recipe with them to England.

This is a rich curried soup originally made with peppers and hence the name. It was adapted to suit the Western palate and the ingredients available.

Ingredients:

Traditionally mulligatawny soup is made with chicken stock and is flavored with curry powder. Chicken, onion, celery, apple and veggies are the usual ingredients in the soup. Coconut milk or cream is added to make the soup creamy.

To make my mulliagatawny soup vegan, I used red lentils to give enough body and make it hearty. Adding Chickpeas with the lentils will amp up the protein. Coconut Milk adds creaminess and slight sweetness that balances the curry powder.

Pick all or a few of the below veggies to add to the soup:

Onion, ginger, garlic, green chilies - these are the aromatics that add flavor to the dish.
Potato
Carrot
Tomato

Add any other veggie that you have in the fridge cauliflower, cabbage, broccoli, green beans, green peas etc are all good options.

Instructions:

Using a pressure cooker/ Instant pot to make this soup saves a lot of time and the recipe will be done under 30 minutes. Here's how to make the soup in the Instant Pot.

Heat Instant pot on Saute mode. Add oil, followed by onions, garlic and ginger; cook till the onions are translucent, about 3~4 minutes.
Add the chopped potato, carrot and cook for 3~4 minutes. Next add the tomatoes, curry powder, turmeric and cook till tomatoes are mushy.
Stir in the lentils and broth; season with salt and pepper. Close the lid and put on 'Sealing'. Turn off 'Saute' mode and turn on 'Manual/ Pressure cook' mode. Cook on high pressure for 6 minutes.
Once done, let the pressure release naturally.
Use a immersion blender to blend the soup into a smooth mixture. You can leave some chunky to have some texture to the soup.
Stir in coconut milk and turn on Saute mode and cook till heated through, about 3~4 minutes. Mix in lime/ lemon juice and garnish with cilantro. Serve warm with roasted cashews on top. Enjoy!!