Mulligatawny Soup with Apples

Before you say anything--those are apples not potatoes on the top of the soup!  Mulligatawny sounds Irish but it's an Indian soup.  This was a VERY simple dish to pull together.  We had it with a salad to make a meal out of it, but this is fast enough to pull together for a light lunch.  This soup is not as hearty as the ones you get in the delis or restaurants.  Maybe because it doesn't have any rice or other veggies.  You could add some cauliflower or carrots to beef it up--I think I will the next time I make it.  The apples are what make the whole thing come together, though, so don't skimp on those.  I used Granny Smith (organic from California) with great results.  I got this recipe via PureWow and they adapted it from a cookbook called Poulet.

Mulligatawny Soup with Apples

	1 tablespoon peanut oil ( I used olive oil) 1 medium yellow onion, peeled and thinly sliced 3 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced 1 tablespoon Madras curry powder (couldn't find "Madras" but I bet Tea Fountain in Mill Valley has it) 4 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade 3 cups precooked roast chicken, shredded (I used an organic one from Good Earth Foods) 1 tart apple such as Granny Smith, peeled and diced (about 1 cup) Juice of half a lemon (about 2 tablespoons) 1 cup unsweetened coconut milk (from a can) Juice of 1 lime (about 2 tablespoons) Salt and freshly ground pepper ½ cup fresh cilantro leaves, finely chopped

1. In a large saucepan or Dutch oven, heat the oil. Add the onion and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until it is soft but not brown, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and curry powder and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute longer.

2. Add the stock and chicken to the saucepan, cover and simmer over low heat for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, toss the apple with the lemon juice.

3. Whisk the coconut milk and lime juice into the soup. Remove the soup from the heat and season with salt and pepper. Divide the soup among four bowls and garnish with the apple mixture and cilantro. Serve immediately.