Filling mulligatawny or pumpkin: 20 best soup recipes – part 3

Soak the almonds for 4 hours in hot water or overnight in tap water. Drain. Put into a blender with the chickpea flour and 250ml chicken stock and blend until smooth. Leave in the blender.

Combine the cumin, coriander, turmeric, cayenne pepper and curry powder in a small bowl.

Pour the oil into a wide pan and set over a high heat. When the oil is hot, put in the meat and cook, stirring, until the pieces are lightly browned. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside. Reduce the heat to medium. Quickly put in the ginger and garlic. Stir for 30 seconds, then add all the dry spices from the bowl. Stir for another 30 seconds. Stir in the remaining stock. Strain in the paste from the blender and add the reserved meat. If your stock is unsalted, add ½ teaspoon salt. Stir and bring to the boil. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and cook gently for 1 hour for lamb and 35 minutes for chicken thighs. Taste for salt. Stir in the lemon juice.

Serve with the rice and lemon wedges, if you like. (If you are serving this as a first course soup, scatter 1-3 tablespoons of cooked rice in each bowl just before you eat. If this is a main course, offer individual bowls of rice on the side.)


Start by burning three aubergines. If you have a gas hob, line the base with foil to protect it, keeping only the burners exposed. Place the aubergines directly on separate moderate flames and roast for 15-18 minutes, until the skin is burnt and flaky and the flesh is soft. Use metal tongs to turn them occasionally. Alternatively, score the aubergine with a knife in a few places, a couple of centimetres deep, and place on a baking sheet under a hot grill for about an hour. Turn them around every 20 minutes or so and continue to cook even if they burst and break.

Remove the aubergines from the heat and allow them to cool down slightly. Once cool enough to handle, cut an opening along each one and scoop out the flesh, dividing it with your hands into long thin strips. Discard the skin. Drain the flesh in a colander for an hour at least, preferably longer to get rid of as much water as possible.



Source: theguardian