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A bowl full of mulligatawny soup garnished with rice and shredded chicken rests on a white napkin.
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4.93 from 14 votes

Mulligatawny Soup Recipe (Pakistani)

This curried Mulligatawny Soup Recipe (Pakistani), made with lentils, aromatic spices, tender chicken, and basmati rice is packed with flavor.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time45 minutes
Total Time1 hour
Course: Soup
Cuisine: British, Indian, Pakistani
Diet: Halal, Hindu
Keyword: Madras club mulligatawny soup recipe, Pakistani Mulligatawny soup recipe, Traditional Mulligatawny soup
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 360kcal
Author: Nosheen Babar

Ingredients

Rice For Garnish

  • 4 tbsp basmati rice See notes
  • 1 cup water

Chicken For Garnish

  • 1 chicken breast
  • ½ yellow onion
  • 4 whole garlic cloves
  • ½ inch ginger piece
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ¼ tsp black pepper
  • 2 cups water

Mulligatawny Soup

  • 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 onion
  • 1 tsp crushed ginger
  • 1 tsp minced garlic
  • 1 green chili see notes
  • ½ cup split pigeon peas
  • 4 tbsp basmati rice see notes
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 4 cups chicken stock
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 2 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp corriander powder
  • 2 tsp curry powder
  • ½ tsp turmeric powder
  • 8 curry leaves
  • ½ cup coconut milk
  • 1 lime
  • ¼ tsp paprika (optional)

Instructions

Rice For Garnish

  • Rinse the rice three times.
  • Boil on high heat with 1 cup water till all of the water is absorbed (about 10-15 minutes).
  • Cover and set aside for later.

Chicken For Garnish

  • Boil the chicken with all of the ingredients and two cups of water till cooked through (about 20-30 minutes).
  • Remove the chicken from the water and shred it into pieces.
  • Set aside for later.

Mulligatawny Soup

  • Add the chicken stock, pigeon peas, basmati rice, tomato paste, bay leaves, curry leaves, salt, coriander powder, curry powder, and turmeric, and start to cook.
  • Heat the olive oil in a frying pan.
  • Add the diced onions and green chili and saute till the onions are just wilted.
  • Add the ginger and garlic and continue to saute till the onions are translucent.
  • Add this mixture to the soup and simmer for 30 minutes.
  • Remove the bay leaves and use an immersion or regular blender to puree the soup.
  • Add the coconut milk and simmer for another 10 minutes.
  • Serve with a garnish of rice, shredded chicken and a lime wedge.

Notes

Basmati Rice - Half the rice in this recipe is added to the soup to help thicken it as it cooks, and the other half is cooked and saved to use as a garnish.
Green Chili - I usually use a Serrano Chili, but a jalapeno can also be used.
Paprika - This is not a part of the traditional recipe, but it's a nice finishing touch. Feel free to add or omit this per your preference.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cup | Calories: 360kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 29mg | Sodium: 1330mg | Potassium: 504mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 170IU | Vitamin C: 36mg | Calcium: 52mg | Iron: 2mg