Free Cooking Recipes

A native of Tamil Nadu, Southern India, the name ‘Milaku’ (pepper) and ‘tanni’ (water) is a fitting description of this highly spiced substantial soup. This was one of the many recipes the British Raj brought back to Britain and adapted for ‘home cooking’. Serve accompanied with plain boiled rice.

SERVES 4

30 ml/2 tbsp vegetable oil 1 onion, halved and sliced
1 clove garlic, finely chopped 1 carrot, peeled and diced
1 potato, peeled and diced
50 g/2 oz green (string or snap) beans. trimmed and
chopped
2 chicken thighs, skinned
1 sharp eating apple, peeled, cored and diced
10 ml/2 tsp hot curry paste
10 ml/2 tsp tomato puree (paste)
2.5 ml/1/2 tsp ground ginger
2.5 ml/1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
4 cloves
45 ml/3 tbsp lemon juice
15 ml/1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
5 cups/1.21/2 pt chicken stock (broth)
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Direction:

1. Heat the oil in a large, heavy-based saucepan. Add the onion and garlic and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the onions start to soften.
2. Add the carrot, potato, beans and chicken thighs and cook, stirring, for a further 4 to 5 minutes or until the chicken is lightly coloured.
3. Stir in the diced apple, curry paste, tomato puree (paste), ginger, nutmeg and cloves. Cover and ’sweat’ over a moderate heat for 3 to 4 minutes. Scrape loose any sediment from the base of the pan.
4. Add the lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce and stock (broth). Bring to the boil, then cover and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes or until the chicken is tender. Season to taste.
5. Lift out the chicken thighs with a slotted spoon. Take the flesh off the bone, break up into small strips and return to the soup.
6. Serve hot. If preferred, the soup can be puréed and served hot or chilled, garnished with a swirl of natural yogurt.