Mulligatawny Soup

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil

¼ cup onion, chopped

¼ cup sliced carrots

¼ cup celery, chopped

1 green or red pepper, diced

1 tart apple, diced

2 cups diced, cooked chicken breast

2 tbsp curry powder or 1/3 cup curry paste

½ tsp ground nutmeg

2 whole cloves

1 cup diced tomatoes, fresh or canned

1/3 cup raisins

1 or 2 sprigs parsley

5 cups chicken broth

2 to 3 tbsp cornstarch or flour

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

In large soup pot sauté onions, carrots, celery, pepper, and apple in oil until soft and slightly browned.

Add chicken, curry powder or paste, and nutmeg; stir and cook a little more.

Add remaining ingredients, except cornstarch or flour, and simmer for 1 hour.

Add cornstarch or flour to ¼ cup water and mix well. Stir into soup until thickened.

Adjust with more seasoning if desired.

Cooked white or brown rice added to the soup is tasty and makes this into a good, hearty soup for a light supper.

About cooking chicken for soup recipes:

I like to cook the diced chicken breast (completely thawed, if previously frozen) in gently boiling water for about 10 to 15 minutes. The precise time depends on how finely diced it is.  I try to skim off as much of the scum as possible as it cooks. 

Chicken Soup with Wild Rice and Fresh Greens

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 large onion (about 4 cups), chopped

4 or 5 minced garlic cloves

1 or 2 tsp basil

1 cup sliced carrots

2 cups (8 oz) sliced or chopped mushrooms

2 cups chopped cooked chicken

6 cups chicken broth

1 to 2 cups cooked brown and/or wild rice, cooked in chicken broth

2 to 4 T soy sauce

1 or 2 tsp chili garlic sauce

3 or 4 whole cloves

4 cups bok choy, napa cabbage, and/or spinach, sliced

4 scallions, sliced

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

In large soup pot, heat oil over medium heat, cook onion and garlic, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes or until onion is softened. Add dried basil.

Add carrots and cook until carrots start to soften.

In separate pan sauté mushrooms in olive oil and add to soup pot.

Add chicken, broth, wild rice, brown rice, soy sauce, chili garlic sauce, and clove.

Simmer for 15 to 20 minutes. 

Just before serving add fresh greens and scallions, stir, and serve.

The soup can be made ahead of time without the fresh greens and scallions.  When ready to serve, warm up only as much as will be used, add a proportionate amount of fresh greens and scallions, and serve. 
Or, Add the greens and scallions as toppings to individual servings.  Upon mixing in with the warm soup they soften slightly and stay green.

Chilii-garlic sauce can be found in Asian food stores and many grocery stores carrying ethnic foods. Extra chili-garlic sauce can be added to individual servings for those who want a little more zip.