Mulligatawny soup recipe | Vegetarian - Raks Kitchen (2024)

Mulligatawny soup is a popular Indian soup originated during the British-India. This soup has masoor dal and coconut milk for creaminess along with vegetables and spices.

Mulligatawny soup (vegetarian) is a filling meal by itself for lunch or dinner.

Check out my Tomato soup recipe and Sweet potato soup recipe in this website.

Ingredients

Before going through the ingredients, let's see what is meant my mulligatawny.

Mulligatawny name comes from Tamil terms Milagu Tanni (which means literally pepper water).

It is prepared similar to my pepper rasam but in fusion way, to make it more creamy, rich and smooth, the other ingredients are added.

Rasam is a common south Indian dish prepared in everyday basis. Typically, rasam has black pepper and cumin which aids digestion.

Pepper and cumin induces hunger. For that reason, it is perfect as appetizer, though we south Indians have it with rice and top with rasam.

Curry powder is more a generic ingredient added as universal spice, though it is not used in every day Indian cooking.

But in this soup it blends well with other flavors. I have used my sambar powder and a bit of garam masala in that place.

• Masoor dal - Red lentils are easily available choice. It gets cooked easily and blends well for creamy smooth texture.
• Coconut milk - I used a store bought organic coconut milk, you can also use homemade.
• Cooked rice - Basmati rice works well. This gives a nice texture to soup, it goes well with the soup. Also makes you feel full.
• Potato - Adds creamy hom*ogenous texture to the soup.
• Lemon juice - For perfect balance in taste.
• Onion
• Garlic
• Ginger
• Curry leaves
• Coriander leaves
• Salt
• Spices and powders
  • Biryani leaf (Indian bay leaf)
  • Black pepper
  • Coriander seeds
  • Turmeric powder
  • Sambar powder / Curry powder
  • Garam masala
  • Cumin seeds powder

See recipe card for full list & quantities.

Instructions

1. Wash masoor dal several times firstly, until water runs clear. Drain water and keep aside.

Gather all the ingredients needed. Instant pot mode : Saute, High mode

2. Heat butter and add Indian bay leaves, garlic, ginger.

3. Then add onion, potato, crushed coriander and saute well for 2 minutes.

4. Cancel saute and furthermore add all spice powders.

5. Then immediately give a quick stir.

6. After that add washed & drained masoor dal and coriander leaves.

7. Give it a mix. Add 1 & ½ cups water.

8. Close the lid and pressure cook furthermore for 5 minutes in High pressure, Normal.

If in pressure cooker, give 3 whistles.

9. Immediately quick release pressure in Instant pot. If stove top, let it release naturally.

10. Then open lid and take out biryani leaf.

11. Add 1 & ½ cup water furthermore to dilute plus required salt. Blend smoothly using an immersion blender.

12. Once done, again give it a boil and add coconut milk. Mix well. (Saute mode in Instant Pot)

13. Switch off heat now. Adjust salt as needed.

13. Finally add lemon juice and mix well.

To serve, place some cooked basmati rice in a bowl. Top it with soup and garnish with coriander leaves.

Substitutions

• Masoor dal - instead of Masoor dal, you can use mixture of toor dal and moong dal. (split pigeon peas and yellow split lentils - Yellow mung bean)
• Potato - use a carrot and a Granny smith apple.
• Vegan - Skip butter and use any cooking oil.
• Sambar powder - Usually curry powder is used, but I used my sambar powder and little of garam masala powder. So which ever you have in your hand, you can use it.
• Lemon - Use mixture of both a tablespoon of tamarind pulp and a teaspoon of lemon juice. I have also tried adding tomato, but recommend adding paste to avoid the seeds affecting texture of soup.

Variations

• Spicy - add finely chopped green chili while sauteeing.
• Garam masala - add whole spices like cinnamon while tempering. Take out before blending. I have tried a combination of cinnamon, biryani leaf and stone flower. It smelt quite good.
• Kid friendly - add their favorite topping like croutons or crushed papad, fryums. I had with fryums and it was really awesome.

See this Beetroot soup recipe on my website! (placeholder for in-content link)

Equipment

Though I have used instant pot, you can sure use stove top pressure cooker.

If you do not own a handblender, you can also whisk the soup but texture wont be smooth. Or cool down everything completely, transfer to a blender. Blend smooth and then re-heat to add coconut milk and lemon juice.

Storage

Since we are adding coconut milk, I suggest to finish off soon.

This perfect for freezing upto 3 months.

Top tip

You can prepare this soup in stove top too. Either using pressure cooker the same way as this or the OG way of simmering in a soup pot.

Though I added whole black pepper, I recommend you to use pepper powder along cumin powder. Black pepper can take long time when using immersion blender.

Recipe card