Quail Mulligatawny Soup
This tasty, wild game take on a traditionally British-Indian dish highlights the versatility of quail
Mulligatawny is a British-Indian soup made popular in the mid-1800s during the British colonial rule of India. Traditionally, this soup was thin, light, and made of peppers and water. Mulligatawny became part of regular British fare as a first-course dish, so to suit the British palate, the soup changed over time to include more vegetables and pieces of meat.
There are many variations of mulligatawny recipes. Some include a combination of apples and carrots. Sometimes, there are lentils. I did not include lentils in my recipe, but you can certainly add them to the pot if you wish. The apple makes mulligatawny unique as it imparts a nice tang. Chicken is common, but quail makes a delicious wild game substitute. You could also use chukar or Hungarian partridge, too.
Some recipes call for adding a dollop of sour cream or yogurt before serving, but I didn’t think it was necessary with the tartness of the Granny Smiths in this recipe. The servings listed here make a meal for two people or a light starter course for four.
Quail Mulligatawny Soup
Ingredients
- 3-4 whole quail
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 large leek white and light green parts chopped
- 2 carrots peeled and chopped
- 2 ribs of celery halved
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tbsp curry powder
- 4 cups water plus extra
- 1 Granny Smith apple
- ¼ cup uncooked white rice preferably basmati
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- Chicken bouillon powder or salt to taste
- Freshly ground pepper to taste
- Minced chives to taste
Instructions
- Heat oil and butter in a pot over medium-low heat. Add chopped leek, carrots, celery, and bay leaves with a pinch of salt. Cover and sweat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Do not let the veggies brown.
- Add curry powder and quail and stir for 2 minutes. Add water and bring it to a boil, then cover it and lower the heat. Simmer for 10 minutes. Next, remove the quail from the pot; when they are cool enough to handle, remove the meat from the bones. Return the bones to the soup and allow it to simmer, covered, for 1 hour and 30 minutes. Meanwhile, cover and refrigerate the quail meat.
- Peel, core, and cut the apple into bite-size pieces. After 1.5 hours, discard quail bones. Add the apple and rice to the pot and simmer until tender, about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Return quail meat to the pot. If desired, add more water (or chicken stock) to thin out the soup. Stir in heavy cream and season to taste with chicken bouillon powder and freshly ground pepper. Ladle into bowls and garnish with minced chives.
Nutrition
