On a recent morning we woke up to heavy snowfall, announcing that winter has most certainly arrived, and it's time for a big pot of soup on the stove.
This curried chicken and rice soup with apples (also known as mulligatawny) gets its bright color from the curry in the base. There are several varieties of mulligatawny soup out there to try, with different meat, spice and vegetable combinations.
This simple chicken apple version is thick and hearty, with a little spice from the curry and a little sweetness from the apples. The truth is, no one knows there are apples in it. They cook down and blend in with all the veggies and just leave people pondering that wonderful flavor they can't put their finger on.
It's perfect as a fall-into-winter main dish because you have your chicken, rice and vegetables all in one cozy pot. I sprinkled some pomegranate arils on top to finish, just for a seasonal pop of color and a little texture.
Curried chicken and rice soup with apples
Yields 4 servings
3 tablespoons butter
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
1/2 large onion, chopped
1 apple, peeled and chopped
2 teaspoons curry powder
3 tablespoons flour
4 cups chicken broth
1 pound chicken breasts, chopped or shredded
1/3 cup white rice
Salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup half-and-half cream or coconut milk
1. In a large pot over medium heat, melt butter and saute onions, carrots and celery until onions are translucent. Add apple and curry powder. Cook and stir until curry is fragrant, about two minutes. Add flour and stir to combine, cooking another two minutes.
2. Pour in chicken broth. Add chicken and rice. Bring up to a boil and turn heat down to medium-low, simmering about 20 minutes or until rice is cooked through, stirring occasionally to prevent rice from sticking to bottom of pan.
3. Season with salt and pepper to taste and pour in half-and-half. Ladle into bowls and serve while hot.
Maya Evoy lives in Kenai and blogs about food at alaskafromscratch.com. Have a food question or recipe request? Email maya@alaskafromscratch.com and your inquiry may appear in a future column.