My wife used to make a mulligatawny soup in the early years of our relationship. Although this recipe is quite different from the one she used to follow, she remarked that she was surprised at how differently the different recipes started out but ended up in a very similar place. My mother omitted the apples in her own recipe so I did too – but I’ve kept it in the ingredients list as optional.

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup Earth Balance
• 1 large can chickpeas, drained
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2-3 stalks of celery, chopped
• 1-2 carrots, diced
• optional: 2 apples, pared and chopped
• 1/2 cup flour
• 3-5 tsp curry powder, to taste
• 12 cups vegetable broth
• 1 large can of diced tomatoes
• 1 can of tomato paste
• 1 green pepper, chopped
• 2 tsp salt
• 2-3 tsp granulated sugar, to taste
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 2 cups cooked rice
• Optional: 1-2 tsp cumin, to taste

Yield: 6-10 servings

Heat the Earth balance in large pot. Add the onion, celery and carrots (and apples, if using) and cook until lightly browned. Stir in the chickpeas and then flour and curry powder. Add in the vegetable broth gradually, stirring constantly.

Stir in the canned tomatoes and tomato paste, then add the chopped green pepper. Mix in sugar, salt and pepper. Cook covered. Mix in 2 cups cooked rice and cook until hot. Add 1-2 tsp cumin if desired.