Chicken Mulligatawny

(Chicken Pepper Water)

Mulligatawny or pepper water (Millagu is pepper and Thanni is water in Tamil) is a delicious complex meal in itself. Like the other famous pepper-water (Rasam), this soup is sometimes eaten with rice added into the bowl. The chicken stock in the recipe is best prepared on a slow fire as this greatly influences the taste. The pepper used must always be ground fresh the use of fresh spices and herbs makes a lot of difference in taste. Mulligatawny is popular for Western palates and especially in Commonwealth nations (England and Australia) remains an exciting item on dinner parties, including one thrown by Queen Victoria…

Serving Size: 4-5 persons

Ingredients:

Chicken - 750 g, cut into small pieces

Dhaniya/Coriander powder - 1tsp

Turmeric/Haldi - 1/2 tsp

Curry leaves - 6-8, chopped

Whole Dry Red Chilly - 3

Salt - To taste

Coarsely grind the following together:

Whole Black peppers - 12-15 corns

Cinnamon - 1 inch

Green cardamom - 4

Cloves - 3

Garlic - 4 small cloves

 Cooking procedure:

1. Cover and boil chicken in 4 cups water on medium low heat for 40 minutes to make the stock. Skim the fat from the liquid surface and discard using a spoon. The stock may be prepared in advance and refrigerated in a closed container.

2. Take out the chicken pieces from the stock and keep in a separate container. Remove the meat from the bones using a fork and keep aside.

3. Reheat  the stock and add all remaining ingredients except the chicken shreds. Add 2-3 cups of warm water. Bring to boil and simmer for 10-15 minutes.

4. Add the chicken and simmer for 10-12 minutes. Serve hot immediately.

Serving Suggestions: