Revisiting a great recipe--Mulligatawny Stew

Last night, I hosted my book club for our monthly dinner and discussion. A few of the women in the club are great cooks and really go all out for the dinners, so I get a little intimidated when it's my turn to host. For the meal, I revisited a recipe I hadn't made in a long time, Mulligatawny Stew, and served it over basmati rice, garnished with lemon wedges and fresh cilantro. I served roasted cauliflower on the side, and the kids made a beautiful apple crisp for dessert, which I served with low-fat vanilla ice cream. All in all, it was a great meal, and one I would definitely repeat:

Mulligatawny Stew (Indian Lentil Stew)

Prep (20 minutes) + Cook (30 minutes)
6 servings, about 2 cups each

Ever since watching Kramer and Elaine rave about it on the “Soup Nazi” episode of Seinfeld, I’ve been intrigued by Mulligatawny stew. Now, after making a batch, I can see what all the fuss was about. This Indian stew is rich, aromatic and delicious. Serve it with Roasted Cauliflower Poppers.

2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
2 medium onions, chopped (about 3 cups)
2 tsp. minced garlic (about 4 cloves)
1 Tbsp. minced ginger (or 1 tsp. ginger powder)
1 tsp. curry powder
1 tsp. garam masala
3/4 cup dried yellow or green lentils, soaked in water overnight, if possible
1 can (15 oz.) diced tomatoes with liquid
1 box (32 oz.) chicken or vegetable broth
1 1/2 cups uncooked basmati or long grain rice
1/2 cup light coconut milk (you can freeze remaining coconut milk for a future need)
lemon wedges for serving (optional)
1 cup fresh cilantro, for serving (optional)

(If you have soaked the lentils for faster cooking, drain them before proceeding with the recipe.) Heat the oil in a stockpot over medium-high heat. Add the onions, garlic, ginger, curry powder and garam masala and sauté it, stirring occasionally, until the onions are lightly browned, about 6-8 minutes. Stir in the lentils to coat them and add the tomatoes and chicken broth (if you presoaked the lentils, you may only want to use 3 cups of the chicken broth because the lentils have absorbed extra water). Bring the soup to a boil and simmer it, stirring it occasionally, until the lentils are tender, about 25-30 minutes (or 10-15 minutes for presoaked lentils). Meanwhile, cook the rice according to the package directions (and prepare the cauliflower if you are making it).

Puree the soup to desired thickness in a blender or right in the pot using an immersion blender—it can be smooth or chunky, depending on your preference. Stir in the coconut milk until it is heated through, and ladle it over the rice, squeezing fresh lemon juice over it, if desired, and garnishing with fresh cilantro (optional).

Side Dish Suggestion: To make Roasted Cauliflower Poppers, preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Cut 1 head of cauliflower into florets. Toss them with 1 Tbsp. olive oil, 1/2 tsp. (or more to taste) chili powder, 1/4 tsp. (or more to taste) cumin, 1/4 tsp. salt. Roast for 20 – 30 minutes until they are browned and soft, tossing once.

Tip: If you can’t find the Indian spice mixture, garam masala, at your store, use extra curry powder or
make your own garam masala by mixing coriander, cumin, cinnamon, pepper, cardamom, and cloves.

Nutritional Information per serving (% based upon daily values):
Calories 230, Total Fat 10g, 15%, Saturated Fat 4.5g, 23%, Cholesterol <5mg, 2%, Sodium 105mg, 4%, Total Carbohydrate 28g, 9%, Fiber 10g, 40%, Sugar 8g, Protein 11g

Nutritional Information per serving (with 1 cup cauliflower) (% based upon daily values):
Calories 275, Total Fat 12g, 18%, Saturated Fat 5g, 25%, Cholesterol 5mg, 2%, Sodium 368mg, 15%, Total Carbohydrate 33g, 11%, Dietary Fiber 13g, 50%, Sugar 10g, Protein 13g