Mulligatawny Soup (Recipe)

Ingredients

2 tablespoons butter or margarine

2 stalks celery, finely chopped (3/4 cup)

1/2 cup finely chopped onion (1 medium)

1 carrot, finely chopped (1/2 cup)

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons curry powder

4 cups chicken broth

1 bay leaf

1/2 cup raisins or snipped pitted prunes

1/4 cup finely chopped apple

1/2 teaspoon shredded lemon peel

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/4 teaspoon dried thyme, crushed

1/2 cup cooked rice

1/2 cup finely chopped cooked chicken

1/2 cup milk or light cream

Steps

1. In a large saucepan, melt the butter or margarine.  Add the celery, onion and carrot.  Cook until tender but not brown.

2. Stir in the flour and curry powder.  Cook about 3 minutes.  Add the chicken broth, bay leaf, raisins or pitted prunes, apple, lemon peel, salt, pepper and thyme.  Simmer for 15 minutes.

3. Add the rice and chicken.  Heat through.  Just before serving, stir in the milk or light cream.

Tips:

If you don't have leftover cooked rice, add 2 tablespoons uncooked rice to the broth with the bay leaf, raisins or prunes, apple, lemon peel, salt, pepper and thyme.

Curry powder is a blend of 16 to 20 ground spices, often including cumin, coriander, red pepper, fenugreek, turmeric, cinnamon, allspice, fennel, ginger and black or white pepper.

Cooking the flour-curry powder mixture in the butter or margarine before adding the chicken broth helps to mellow the flavors of spices.

For the cooked chicken, use your microwave oven to cook one 12-ounce chicken breast.  Rinse and pat the chicken breast dry, then place it in a baking dish and cover with waxed paper.  Micro-cook at 100% power (high) for 5 to 7 minutes or until the chicken is tender and no longer pink.

You can use a food processor to chop the celery, onion and carrot.  First, cut the vegetables into 1-inch chunks and place them in the work bowl with a steel blade.  Process with on/off turns until the vegetables are chopped to the desired size.

If you want to make this soup ahead of time, refrigerate or freeze it without the milk or light cream.  Then, to serve, heat and stir in the milk or cream.

From : America's Best-Loved Community Recipes