Make mine Mulligatawny!
Canadians across the country are mixing global fare with traditional dishes during the holidays. Adding this Indo-British soup to your table is one way to join the trend
MULLIGATAWNY HAS a mystique about it, and it’s not just the name. Sure, the ingredients and flavour have a lot to do with it, but its somewhat uncertain history also plays a role.
No doubt this spicy soup has its roots firmly planted in India. It is widely acknowledged to be a delicacy created in the late 18th century to satisfy the palates of British soldiers and employees of the British East India Company, who expected a separate soup course in keeping with their tradition.
The name itself comes from the Tamil words for “pepper water.” But the recipe is as varied as the people who make it. Common elements are broth, spices, vegetables and sometimes meat, with an overall flavour of a curry. Cooksinfo, a website populated with insight from longtime food researcher Randal Oulton, reveals the first published recipe for mulligatawny appeared in Eliza Acton’s 1845 book Modern Cookery for Private Families.
Local restaurateur Vijay Thurkal won’t go the way of Acton and reveal all of his secrets when asked about his very popular version of the soup. He smiles mysteriously when he explains that his recipe came from a friend from India. After tasting the soup, Thurkal had to have the recipe.
“It was totally different from everybody else’s. It was his version,” he says. “I changed a few things, but that’s how it happened.”
Mulligatawny soup is a staple at Thurkal’s namesake restaurant Vijay’s. It has been part of the menu since his doors opened in February 1983.
The restaurant, a fixture on Weber Street in Kitchener, has survived a devastating fire, recessions and seemingly endless road
work. Thurkal is grateful for his faithful clientele.
“They are like family. People coming here since they were one year old are now bringing their kids,” he says proudly.
One element of the soup is the spice blend called garam masala. Variations of it are limitless, and most chefs develop their own version. According to Thurkal, his garam masala is key to the popularity of his food.
“My mother was a good cook,” says Thurkal, “and I tweaked some of her recipes myself. My garam masala has 11 different spices. Only myself and my son know the recipe.”
The soup is available for purchase at gourmet food stores like Vincenzo’s in Waterloo. If you want to try making it at home, Thurkal has shared a recipe (see p. 172) for a similar version of his vegan-friendly soup, but the garam masala remains a mystery.
C hef Thiru Maran, owner of the restaurants Classic Indian in Waterloo and Spice Tree in Kitchener, is also pleased to share a recipe (see p. 172) for mulligatawny soup with adventurous cooks.
After working in locales such as Dubai, Bahrain and Switzerland, Maran and his wife opened their Waterloo location in 2001. He knew the menu would not be complete without mulligatawny.
“My own recipe has celery, broccoli and leeks,” he explains. “Celery and leeks are not common in India but are very much appreciated in North American cuisine.” Broth made from vegetables is the basis for his soup, and, although some chefs add cream or milk to cool the peppery flavour, Maran decided to make his vegan friendly.
He worked on his recipe when he was part owner of a restaurant in Connecticut.
“I developed it when I started there. Basically, each time a chef changes there is a
new (mulligatawny soup),” he says.
That was when he decided that as there were so many options for meat eaters, a vegetarian version would allow everyone to enjoy it.
Keeping up with demand is difficult as the soup is made fresh daily at both his restaurants to be ordered à la carte or as part of his daily luncheon buffet. Customers eager for more can buy it by the jar at his two locations.
The holidays are always the best time to gather friends and family around the table. Adding a new element to tradi- tional fare is a way to avoid the dreaded “turkey fatigue.” These recipes, courtesy of our Indian food experts Thurkal and Maran, are great options and have stood the test of time.
Vijay’s Mulligatawny Soup
1 celery stalk 1 diced cooking onion 1 chopped carrot 1/2 tbsp (7.5 mL) tumeric 4 oz (125 g) red lentils 6 oz (170 g) yellow lentils 1/4 tsp (1 mL) red chili powder (or to taste) 1/2 tsp (2.5 mL) black pepper 2 oz (60 mL) vegetable soup base Dash mehti (dried fenugreek leaf ) 1/2 tsp (2.5 mL) powdered ginger 1/2 tbsp (7.5 mL) salt (or to taste) 12 to 15 cups (3 to 3.5 L) water 1/2 tbsp (7.5 mL) cumin seeds 1 oz (28 g) canola or vegetable oil
1. Place all ingredients in a large pot and cook for about 1 hour on medium heat until lentils cook.
2. Fry 1/2 tbsp (7.5 mL) cumin seeds in about 1 oz (28 g) canola or vegetable oil. Cook seeds until they turn brown and let oil cool. Add to rest of ingredients. Serve hot.
Recipe courtesy of Vijay Thurkal, Vijay’s, Kitchener
Thiru’s ‘Mullugtwanny’ Soup
26.5 oz (750 g) Masoor (or red) lentils, washed and split 26.5 oz (750 g) Moong (or yellow) lentils, washed and split 17.6 oz (500 g) onion, sliced 7 oz (200 g) tomatoes, chopped 1/2 oz (15 g) ginger, crushed 1/2 oz (15 g) garlic, minced 1/2 oz (15 g) mint, chopped 0.8 oz (25 g) cilantro, chopped 1/2 oz (15 g) green chillies, chopped 7 oz (200 g) cauliflower, chopped 7 oz (200 g) broccoli, chopped 7 oz (200 g) carrots, chopped 7 oz (200 g) celery, chopped 0.4 oz (10 g) fenugreek leaves 12 cups (3 L) water 3 soup spoons canola oil 2 soup spoons cumin seeds 3 soup spoons curry powder 1 soup spoon garam masala 4 soup spoons salt 3 soup spoons ground pepper
1. In a big cooking pot, add the oil and heat the oil for a few minutes.
Add the cumin seeds. Once the cumin seeds start crackling, add the sliced onions and sauté till brown.
2. the onions are browned, add the cumin, curry powder and garam masala, and stir well.
3. Next, add the ginger, garlic and tomatoes and sauté for 2 more minutes. Add the rest of the vegetables and continue to sauté till the vegetables are browned.
4. Add about 12 cups (3 L) of water and mix the contents. Add the red and yellow lentils and stir well.
5. Keep stirring occasionally for 2 hours until the vegetables and lentils are fully cooked.
6. Add salt and ground black pepper and stir well.
7. With the help of a stick, or immersion, blender, blend the mixture in the pot to a smooth consistency and taste for saltiness.
Yields about 10 to 12 cups of Mullugtwanny soup.
Recipe provided by Thiru Maran, Classic Indian, Waterloo, and Spice Tree, Kitchener