Mulligatawny facts for kids
Mulligatawny as served in Mumbai
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| Type | Other |
|---|---|
| Place of origin | Tamil Nadu, India |
| Serving temperature | Hot, often with rice |
| Similar dishes | Rasam |
Mulligatawny is a tasty soup that first came from South India. Its name comes from two Tamil words: miḷagu (which means 'black pepper') and taṇṇi (which means 'water'). So, the name literally means "pepper-water." This soup is a bit like another Indian dish called rasam.
Some common ingredients in Mulligatawny soup are chicken, mutton, and lentils.
History of Mulligatawny Soup
Mulligatawny soup became very popular in India by the late 1700s. By the 1800s, you could find recipes for it in many cookbooks. Each cook or cookbook often had its own special way of making the soup.
The recipes for Mulligatawny changed a lot over time. For example, some early versions from Madras (now called Chennai) in India were simple and did not include meat. But when the British started making the soup, they often added meat and made other changes. The first mentions of this soup in English writings go back to 1784. By 1827, it was even considered fashionable in Britain.
In the mid-1800s, a writer named Arthur Robert Kenney-Herbert, who used the pen name Wyvern, wrote about how the "really well-made mulligatunny" was becoming rare. He described a simple version made by people in Madras. This original "pepper-water" was made by grinding spices like tamarind, red chillies, garlic, mustard seed, fenugreek seed, black peppercorns, salt, and curry leaves into a paste. Then, water was added and boiled. Onions were fried in ghee (a type of clarified butter), and the pepper-water was strained into them. This simple soup was often eaten with a lot of boiled rice.
The British then took this simple idea and added more ingredients. They started putting in chicken or mutton and made the soup thicker with flour and butter. This is how the soup changed into the richer, thicker version we often see today.
What's in Mulligatawny Soup?
The simplest versions of Mulligatawny soup often include chicken or mutton, fried onion, and different spices. However, some recipes can be much more complex, using many ingredients. If the soup comes from southern India, it often includes lentils.
See also
