Sri Lankan cuisine is known for its complex flavors and techniques, influenced by Asian and Indian cuisines due to its location on the ancient spice route. The dishes perfectly balance spicy, sweet, rich, and light. If you want to learn how to cook Sri Lankan food, it’s best to start with the fundamentals, much like the spice route. Once you master basics like steaming basmati rice or balancing a flavorful shrimp curry, you can progress to mastering the cuisine as a whole. Here is the recipe for a delicious Mulligatawny.
Mulligatawny Recipe
While the name may sound complex, this creamy soup is easy to make. Made with red lentils and Indian-inspired spices, it’s traditionally served with rice and a wedge of lime.
Serves 6
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 45 minutes
Ingredients
1/4 cup olive oil
3 Spanish onions, chopped
5 garlic cloves, chopped
A tablespoon of garam masala (available in most Indian groceries)
1 teaspoon cumin
4 cardamom pods, crushed
1 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 cups dried red lentils
8 cups chicken stock
2 bay leaves
1 cup coconut milk
2 cups cooked chicken, shredded
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Basmati rice (recipe below)
Lime wedges for garnish
Procedure
Firstly, heat some oil in a large stock pot over medium-high heat. Add onions and cook them until they turn golden. Next, add garlic and sauté for about a minute. Then, add some spices such as garam masala, cumin, cardamom, turmeric, and cayenne. Allow them to bloom in the onion mixture for about a minute while stirring constantly. After that, add lentils and coat them with oil and spices. Add chicken stock and bay leaves. Bring everything to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and let it cook for about 25 minutes or until the lentils are very tender.
Remove the bay leaves and blend the soup in batches. Afterward, return it to the pot and bring it to a gentle simmer. Add some shredded chicken and coconut milk, stirring everything together. Finally, season it to taste with some salt and pepper.
To serve, place a mound of basmati rice at the bottom of a soup bowl. Ladle the mulligatawny over it and serve it with some lime wedges on the side.
