Sunday Soup #82: (Copycat) Chili's Southwestern Chicken Soup

Hear that...? That's the sound of me doing a happy dance, as this past weekend I made my first new soup in three months, and I get to blog again! I am out of practice, so I forgot to take pictures of my finished product, but c'est la vie!!

I have always liked Chili's [restaurant] Southwestern Chicken Soup... It is yummy, (fairly) healthy, and seemed like it would be easy to make, so I went looking for a copycat recipe. I found this one, but only on Pinterest, and it seemed both a little vague and hokey ("Put on some mood lighting and jazz music..." *eye roll*). So, I've posted the Pinterest version below, but I am also going to give you my version of the recipe, so (if you so choose) you can make it too!

This recipe came from: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/56295064075665441/

*Pic 1 - https://www.pinterest.com/pin/56295064075665441/

My Version of the Recipe: (made about 20 cups)

2.7 pounds of roasted chicken, shredded
2 tsp crushed garlic
2 white onions, diced
2 tbsp olive oil
4 stalks celery, diced
2 tbsp tomato paste
2/3 cup Better Than Bouillon chicken base
10 cups water
2 tsp chipotle chili powder
24 oz can of Mexican hominy
4 oz can of mild diced green chiles
15 oz can of diced fire roasted tomatoes
2 tsp lime juice
handful of cilantro leaves

1. Sauté onion and garlic in olive oil until onions turn translucent. Add diced celery and cook for two more minutes.

2. Add tomato paste and mix until combined.

3.  Add chicken base, water, chipotle powder, hominy, green chiles, diced tomatoes, and shredded chicken to the pot. Bring to a boil.

4. Add lime juice and cilantro, and stir. Serve immediately. Garnish as desired.


General Thoughts: My friend, Lisa, helped with prepping this one and handled all the chopping (thank you, Lisa!), but the prep wasn't too onerous, overall. I used pre-roasted, shredded chicken available at my local Safeway (Albertsons), which saved a lot of work. And, once the prep was finished, the actual cooking was a snap!

The texture of the soup was a great surprise and very interesting... There was some mild crunch provided by the celery, some firmness from the onions and chiles, some sponginess from the hominy, and considerable heartiness provided by the chicken. And, the broth... oh, the broth! You know I like a good brothy soup, and the broth in this one was heavenly!! The soup was perfectly spiced and terrifically flavorful... The only bummer was that the soup was SO chock full of yummy ingredients that the broth felt like it couldn't be the proper star it wanted to be. LOL A good problem to have, I suppose...

But, did this soup deliver on its promise of being a copy of the Chili's restaurant version? Nope... In my opinion, this soup hardly resembled the Chili's version in anything but name. But, that is not necessarily a bad thing, as my version was very tasty in its own right. If you are looking for the Chili's restaurant version, go to Chili's... But, if you are looking for an easy, delicious, filling southwestern chicken soup to make at home, this recipe is for you!

Potential Improvements? I would cut the celery by about 1/3 and the fire roasted tomatoes by about 1/2 (to cater a bit more to my family's tastes). And, I would cut back to about 1.5 pounds of roasted chicken. That's it!

Polling the Fam: I loved this one and will definitely make it again, particularly with the improvements above. Becky said it was solid, but thought it had too many celery and tomatoes, and she suggested puréeing the veggies. Hunter said he thoroughly enjoyed it but doesn't care for celery. Jayson really liked it, thought it was great, and loved the broth. Lisa also thought it was great, with the perfect heat and flavor.

Verdict: Loved it! (5 stars)

Sunday Soup #81: Instant Pot Irish Colcannon Soup

I am not sure what it is about St. Patrick's Day, but I always find myself wanting to make Irish food... The old standby is Corned Beef & Cabbage, of course, but there are some good Irish soups too! I've made a few before, my favorites being the Dublin Coddle (https://soupersleuth.blogspot.com/2018/03/sunday-soup-55-dublin-coddle-irish.html) and the Guinness and Coffee Irish Beef Stew (https://soupersleuth.blogspot.com/2018/03/sunday-soup-56-guinness-and-coffee.html), but this year I thought I'd take a run at a colcannon soup.

Colcannon is a traditional Irish dish comprised chiefly of mashed potatoes and kale or cabbage, often eaten as a side dish with ham or Irish bacon (i.e., back bacon, sometimes also called Canadian bacon). It is traditionally an autumn/winter dish (e.g., an Irish Halloween tradition is to serve colcannon with a ring or thimble hidden in it), so with three days left before we usher in spring, it seemed like a perfect soup to make for this St. Patrick's Day Sunday!

This recipe came from: https://www.rebootedmom.com/instant-pot-irish-colcannon-soup/

*Pic 1 - https://www.rebootedmom.com/instant-pot-irish-colcannon-soup/

Variations from Recipe as Written: This recipe, as written, did not call for any protein. But, we are meat-a-sauruses in this house, so I added a pound of smoked bacon and sautéed it up along with the leeks, kale, and cabbage. And, since I added bacon (and the salt that comes with it), I only added 1 tsp of kosher salt instead of the 2 tsp called for by the recipe.

General Thoughts: Hunter and I worked to prep this one together. Prep wasn't that bad... with a chop-chop here and a chop-chop there, here a chop there a chop, everywhere a chop-chop! LOL The potatoes were a bit of work, as they had to be peeled and chopped, but Hunter knocked those out pretty quickly.

*Pics 2 & 3 - Pictures from when I made it

This soup delivered in the right places... It was hearty and filling, the perfect amount of salty and bacon-y, and I loved the taste of the leeks and the green onion garnish. I really liked that the recipe called for both kale and green cabbage, as each brought its own bit of color and flavor to the dish overall. The soup had a very interesting texture, as the broth suggested mashed potatoes (i.e., the recipe had me gently mash them in the pot) but was liquid enough to leave no doubt that this was a soup rather than a potato dish. What I enjoyed most was that each bite was filled with some bit of yumminess; whether it was cabbage or bacon or a chunk of potato, every bite was savory and delicious! (*And, a special shout-out to the Irish soda bread I picked up at Safeway this morning... It was the PERFECT compliment to this soup.)

There were a couple of things that kept this one from being 5 stars for me (although, if I gave half-stars, this one would probably have rated a 4.5)... For example, although the flavor was pretty good, there weren't really any spices (other than salt and pepper), so I found great enjoyment in adding some Cholua Hot Sauce (not exactly Irish, I know). Also, when I went to eat it (leftover) for breakfast this morning, it had significantly thickened up, and it was more like eating a bowl of thin mashed potatoes than a potato soup. But, to give credit where it is due, it was still delicious!!

This one wasn't perfect, but it was close... a solid choice for your next Irish meal!

Potential Improvements? Next time, I think I'd sautée up the bacon separately, get it a bit crispier, and then adding it to the pot when I add the potatoes back in. Also, I think I'd use the full dose of kosher salt (but, if you are more sensitive to sodium, you may still want to only use half - or none, if you use salty bacon). Finally, a feature of several other colcannon soup recipes I checked out was the addition of a couple bay leaves, which might be an improvement here too.

Polling the Fam: I really liked this soup and would definitely make it again, particularly if my meal was Irish-themed. Becky really liked it, as well, although she wished the bacon was a bit crispier. And, Hunter also gave this one top marks. Sláinte!!

Verdict: Liked it. (4 stars)

Sunday Soup #80: Easy Black Bean Soup with Chorizo (or Linguiça)

For the second post in a row, I am featuring a soup from a cookbook rather than an online source. This one comes from a book called Cook's Illustrated All Time Best Soups, which was a gift thoughtfully given to me by my friend, Debbie. This recipe jumped out for its ease of prep and hearty ingredients! I made some alterations to the recipe right off the bat and, as such, will print my version of the recipe in this post for your evaluation...

This recipe came from: Cook's Illustrated All Time Best Soups by Cook's Illustrated (https://www.amazon.com/Time-Best-Soups-Cooks-Illustrated/dp/1940352800/ref=sr_1_1?crid=39E3B8KMEZVK&keywords=cooks+illustrated+all+time+best+soups&qid=1552358587&s=gateway&sprefix=cook%27s+illustrated+all+the+best%2Caps%2C198&sr=8-1)

*Pic 1 - The cover of Cook's Illustrated All Time Best Soups

*Pic 2 - Pic of Easy Black Bean Soup with Chorizo from Cook's Illustrated All Time Best Soups

Recipe:

Ingredients
4 (15 oz) cans of black beans, rinsed
3 cups chicken broth
1 tbsp olive oil
11oz hot linguiça sausage, halved lengthwise and sliced 1/4-inch thick
1 white onion, chopped fine
1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and chopped fine
6 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 cup minced fresh cilantro
salt, pepper, and hot sauce to taste
garnish with sour cream and/or shredded cheese, as desired

1. Process two cups beans and one cup broth in blender until smooth, about 10 seconds; set aside.

2. Combine oil, linguiça, onion, and bell pepper in Dutch oven and cook over medium-high heat until vegetables are softened and lightly browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in garlic, oregano, cumin, and chili powder and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in remaining 2 cups broth, scraping up any brown bits.

3. Stir in bean/broth purée and the remaining beans and simmer until flavors meld, about 15 minutes. Stir in cilantro and season with salt, pepper, and hot sauce to taste. Serve hot.

Variations from Recipe as Written: The biggest change I made in this one was to use a hot Portuguese linguiça, instead of Spanish chorizo (which is what the original recipe called for). While the taste of Spanish chorizo is unique (and quite tasty), it is often dry (similar to an Italian dry salami) and can be tough if not cooked for long enough. As this soup cooked for less than 30 minutes total, I went for a spicy linguiça instead, which still added good flavor with a more tender sausage (i.e., the texture of the linguiça was closer to kielbasa than dry salami). In addition, the original recipe called for only 6 oz of meat, but I used 11 oz.

General Thoughts: As I mentioned, the prep on this one was SUPER simple... In fact, it could be the easiest soup of the whole project, so far, in terms of prep. I was lucky enough to again cook with my favorite sous chef, Lisa, and she even took care of what little prep there was (e.g., dicing the onion and bell pepper and slicing the sausage). From top to bottom, the prep AND cook time combined on this one barely totaled 30 minutes... It doesn't get much easier than that!!

*Pic 3 - Picture from when I made it

This soup was quite hearty (with the beans, sausage, and various veggies), and the puréed bean mixture gave the broth some "weight" and creaminess. Without the purée, I am afraid the broth would have been too thin and just wouldn't have had the same magic. The ratio of ingredients in my version of the recipe seemed just about perfect to me, so I'd not hesitate to use the same amounts again (particularly, the increased quantity of meat). The taste of this one was very solid, as well. Each bite was filled with tasty beans and sausage, and the taste of the spices and garlic jumped to the front of the flavor profile.

Potential Improvements? I think the only thing I'd do differently next time is add some salt and pepper directly into the pot. The recipe did not call for any added salt or pepper, except that people could add to their individual bowls. But, I really think this soup was begging for a little more salt overall than was ultimately contributed to the pot by the broth and sausage.

Polling the Fam: I thought this one was quite good and would definitely make it again. Becky thought it was okay and that it needed more beans (although, I think she scooped in such a way that she got more sausage and fewer beans than the rest of us). She also suggested that some potatoes would have been a welcome addition. Jayson enjoyed it, saying he thought it might be too spicy but that it turned out just right. Lisa liked it and said she'd have liked to try it with the Spanish chorizo instead of the linguiça. Hunter really liked it and said he wouldn't change anything; however, he did say it was at his limit for beans. And, even Fox said this one was pretty good.

Verdict: Liked it. (4 stars)

Sunday Soup #79: Caldo Gallego (Galician Chickpea & Sausage Soup)

This week, I was pleased to make a very interesting recipe from the cookbook, Twelve Months of Monastery Soups by Brother Victor-Antoine d'Avila-Latourrette. This book was given to me as a special gift by my friend Marian and, as it belonged to her brother, I am both grateful and humbled to have received it.

This book is filled with 150+ international recipes, many of them vegetarian, organized by month, all designed to "help cultivate the art of soup making." I know it is February, but this Spanish soup from December looked too good for me to wait another 10 months to try. Galicia is a region on the northwest coast of Spain (just above Portugal) known for its mild climate and a cathedral said to be the burial place of the biblical apostle Saint James the Great.

I encourage you to purchase this book, but I'll print just this recipe here for the purposes of providing commentary. Enjoy!

This recipe came from: Twelve Months of Monastery Soups by Brother Victor-Antoine d'Avila-Latourrette (https://www.amazon.com/Twelve-Months-Monastery-Victor-DAvila-Latourrette/dp/0767901800/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1551118338&sr=8-1&keywords=twelve+months+of+monastery+soups)

*Pic 1 - The cover of Twelve Months of Monastery Soups

Recipe:

Ingredients
2 cups dried chickpeas (or 2 15-ounce cans garbanzo beans)
2 large onions, sliced
6 tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 cups water
4 cups chicken or meat stock
1 bay leaf
1 bunch fresh parsley, chopped
1 turnip, diced
1 large carrot, diced
2 potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 heart of celery, thinly sliced
8 slices sweet Spanish chorizo, cut in half
12 fresh spinach leaves, chopped
salt and pepper to taste

1. Soak the chickpeas overnight and then rinse them and discard the water. If you wish to save time, use the canned chickpeas (garbanzos), which taste the same.

2. In a large soup pot, sauté the onions in the olive oil for 2-3 minutes or until they begin to turn soft. Add the garlic and stir well.

3. Add the water and stock. Bring the soup to a boil. Add the chickpeas, bay leaf, parsley, turnip, carrot, potatoes, celery, and chorizo. Cook the soup, with the pot covered, for 1 hour and 15 minutes over medium heat (or until the chickpeas are tender).

4. Add the chopped spinach, salt, and pepper and simmer the soup gently for 15 to 20 minutes, adding more water, if needed. Stir it from time to time. Remove the bay leaf. Turn off the heat and serve the soup hot.

Variations from Recipe as Written: I used a whole loop of Spanish chorizo (7oz), procured from Amazon.com, rather than the little bit called for by the recipe. That was my only alteration.

General Thoughts: There was a fair bit of prep involved with this one. It was not overwhelming, and I took my time and meandered through it, but if you have an aversion to chopping and dicing, this one might not be the one for you. Prep and cook time combined, this recipe takes a little more than 2 hours to complete.

*Pics 2 & 3 - Pictures from when I made it

I loved all of the different ingredients in this soup and the accompanying textures. The soup was wonderfully brothy, which suits my tastes just fine, and the vegetables (including the potatoes) were perfectly done, cooked through, and tasty. The chickpeas were a bit firmer and provided a hearty mouthfeel. Finally, the chorizo was slightly chewy (maybe, a little too chewy?), but that would likely vary with the brand/type of chorizo you chose to use. The harder (i.e., drier) the chorizo starts out, the chewier it will end up in the soup.

The taste was very solid! It reminded me a little bit of the Oktoberfest Stew that was such as favorite earlier in the project (https://soupersleuth.blogspot.com/2016/10/sunday-soup-18.html), but it lacked a little of the vinegar bite. Still, the tang of the Spanish chorizo was very interesting, and each bite had a delightful continental flavor. I did learn that I needed to be a little more liberal with the salt and pepper, as they are the only herbs or spices in the mix (other than a single bay leaf). But, overall, it was super tasty!

Potential Improvements? Next time, I think I'd like to add a couple tablespoons of apple cider vinegar to the whole pot, to vary the flavor profile a little. I'd also like even more chorizo than I used, as well as trying a slightly less dry (i.e., softer) variety of sausage. Finally, I'd use 8 cups of broth rather than 4 cups each of broth and water.

Polling the Fam: I enjoyed this recipe quite a bit and would definitely make it again, particularly with the changes above. Becky did not like it as much, however, saying that she didn't care for either the taste or the firmness of the chorizo. Hunter really liked it, gave it a "perfect rating," and said he wouldn't change a thing. And, Fox, as he usually does, said it was "okay."

Verdict: Liked it. (4 stars)

Sunday Soup #78: Vegetable Beef Soup

When I asked my friend, Lisa, what soup we should make this past weekend, she said she had been craving a good vegetable beef soup. Vegetable beef soup is a classic, a recipe that should be in every soup cookbook and, if done right, a dish that can please the masses. I found one that seemed like it had some promise: simple, hearty, and classic. But, did it please our crowd?

This recipe came from: https://therecipecritic.com/vegetable-beef-soup/

*Pic 1 - https://therecipecritic.com/vegetable-beef-soup/

Variations from Recipe as Written: We actually ended up with quite a few alterations to this recipe, primarily based on what we had on hand. We used about double the meat called for, and a mixture of cuts (i.e., top round, bottom round, and stew meat). The diced tomatoes we used came already seasoned with Italian seasoning, so we forewent the additional Italian seasoning the recipe called for.  And we used russet potatoes, but they were HUGE, so the recipe wound up very potato-y.

General Thoughts: As usual, when I cook with Lisa, she did a lot of the chopping, so she handled the prep on carrots, celery, and potatoes, as well as cubing the beef. There was a moderate amount of prep involved overall, which was not unexpected for a vegetable beef soup, particularly with needing to brown the meat ahead of time. But, it didn't take extraordinarily long because Lisa is a pro; every kitchen needs a Lisa!

*Pics 2 & 3 - Pictures from when we made it

This soup was on the verge of being a stew, hearty and filling, with tasty chunks in every spoonful. The vegetables were perfectly done and may have even been my favorite part. As previously mentioned, it seemed like a few too many potatoes for a proper balance, but it wasn't too overwhelming. The taste was solid and consistent with  many traditional vegetable beef soups I've eaten, made in restaurant kitchens.

However, using different cuts of beef (which we did because we already had them on hand) led to some slightly odd texture and (to a lesser extent) taste variations. Further, the meat, which I was hoping would be flavorful and savory in and of itself, was just kind of bland and... well... beefy. The beef needed to be richer, more tender, and as least as much of a focus as the veggies.

The bottom line is that, as far as vegetable beef soups go, this one was pretty good. But, when considered against the whole universe of other interesting and intriguing soups out there, this one was somewhat unremarkable.

Potential Improvements? Lisa thinks this is one we should make again and make some improvements... I agree, because I think there are plenty to be made. First and foremost, the beef: using 100% stew beef, and marinating it for three-ish hours in a salt, olive oil, worcestershire sauce, and red wine mixture would have given a much richer, deeper flavor and made it more tender. I would use petite diced tomatoes to avoid large chunks (this is a very personal food quirk for me, so you might want to stick with large diced). I'd go a bit lighter on the potatoes to provide better beef/veggie/potato balance. And, I'd probably go a little heavier on the salt and pepper, while going a little lighter on the Italian seasoning. 

Polling the Fam: I thought it was tasty, and it was good leftover, but nothing really special in its current state. I'd love to try again with the improvements above. Becky thought it was okay (but she's not generally a vegetable beef soup fan) and wished it was thicker, like a stew. Lisa thought it was good, but that the broth needed to be richer (maybe homemade beef broth?), there were too many potatoes, and the Italian seasoning seemed "wrong." Jayson thought the best part was the broth, but found it otherwise unremarkable. Hunter thought it was solid, very filling, well-balanced, and liked how he could not taste the celery. And, Fox thought it was okay but that it needed more flavor.

Verdict: It was okay. (3 stars)

Sunday Soup #77: Hot & Sour Glass Noodle Soup

Boy #1 (Hunter) and I were geographical bachelors this weekend, as my wife took our youngest to a marching band event in SoCal. And, when me and Hunter are by ourselves, we like to try soups that are either heavily Asian-influenced or contain seafood (because Becky and Fox don't usually love either of those two flavors). I let Hunter pick the recipe to make, and this was the one he picked out... So, let's see how it went!

This recipe came from: https://www.connoisseurusveg.com/hot-sour-glass-noodle-soup/

*Pic 1 - https://www.connoisseurusveg.com/hot-sour-glass-noodle-soup/

Variations from Recipe as Written: I doubled the recipe, but ended up using half chicken broth because it is what I had on hand. So, my version was not strictly vegetarian, even though the original recipe is 100% veggie-compliant (vegan, in fact, as I used vegan maifun rice noodles).

General Thoughts: This soup was quite easy to prepare... Boil water, soak noodles, sauté garlic and ginger, add more stuff, a little more simmering, add some more stuff, and that was it! I did use pre-julienned carrots, so that helped, but it really felt like a snap. From start of prep to soup in bowl, it couldn't have taken more than 30 minutes overall.

*Pics 2 & 3 - Pictures from when I made it

The first thing I noticed was that this was not a "traditional" hot and sour soup (i.e., not what you'd expect to get at a Chinese food restaurant), but the recipe author fully acknowledged that up front, so that shouldn't have been a surprise. And, it was not necessarily a bad thing... The lime juice and the ginger gave it a nice sour bite, and the sambal oelek and garlic provided the heat I was looking for, more or less. The mushrooms were tasty, if a little bit rubbery in some bites (but, hey, they're shiitakes, so they naturally tend that direction), and the carrots provided a nice splash of color, but didn't add much to the taste. The noodles turned out to be perfectly done and really just soaked up the flavor of the broth in the soup.

All of that was good, obviously, but this one did have some things that failed to completely hook me... First, the snap peas... I didn't love them. Their texture and taste were different enough from the rest of the soup that it just seemed out of place. I get it... Snap peas are a staple in some Asian dishes, and they added some nice color, but they just didn't do it for me here. Also, the soup needed a protein of some type to really bring it home. It could be tofu (to keep it veggie), but some chicken (thinly sliced) or jumbo shrimp would have done the job as well. Without it, this soup falls into the category of solid Asian appetizer/pre-dinner soup course, rather than featured meal.

Potential Improvements? This one definitely has potential... Next time, I think I'd use a different variety of mushroom (maybe some sliced portobello) that would be a little more tender, even though that changes the Asian profile of the dish. I would greatly decrease the snap peas (or maybe forget them entirely), and consider replacing them with some shelled edamame? I'd go for some protein, like jumbo shrimp. And, finally, I consider a tablespoon of sesame oil in the pot.

Polling the Fam: Hunter and I were solidly at the 3.5/5 stars point with this one, but I don't do half stars. In the end, I'd make this one again, particularly with the changes above, but it in its current state it isn't one I am super excited about. Solid, but not "wow"... Hunter felt the same.

Verdict: It was okay. (3 stars)

Sunday Soup #76: Mulligatawny Soup

I love making soups that have some history! Mulligatawny soups (aka, Mulligatawny stews) originated in India and became popular in English cuisine as a result of the British Empire's occupation of the Subcontinent. According to Wikipedia, the earliest references to Mulligatawny in English go back to 1784, and it became fashionable in Britain in the early-1800s. There are a lot of different varieties, but this one looked tasty, and I've wanted to try one for some time. Tonight, I had the privilege of cooking for our good friends, Matt and Nicole (as they are moving out of town), as well as the usual suspects. And now, I am excited to share this recipe with you...

This recipe came from: https://soupaddict.com/2009/12/mulligatawny-soup/

*Pic 1 - https://soupaddict.com/2009/12/mulligatawny-soup/

Variations from Recipe as Written: I tripled the recipe. That's it!

General Thoughts: Lisa blessed me by being my prep cook again tonight, doing the necessary chopping and grating on the produce (especially the onions, which always make me cry!), while I cut up and prepped the chicken and did the cooking. This one definitely required a fair amount of prep and was one of the more labor intensive recipes I've made in a while. It was not as over-the-top as some of the soups I've made in this project, but it did take us about an hour before everything made it in to the pot together. Maybe not bad, considering we tripled the recipe (which means triple the prep), but worth mentioning.

*Pics 2 & 3 - Pictures from when I made it

The. Smells. Were. Amazing! As soon as I put the chicken (tossed with flour and spices) into the pot to brown, all of the rich aromas became intoxicating. Garam masala, cumin, coriander, and cayenne combined to promise that this dish could be something special and, as soon as the chicken was finished, I certainly wouldn't have minded sitting right down and eating it over rice.

The taste was very solid! The soup had a rich, Indian flavor, full of the tastes of garam marsala and curry powder, in particular. One of our guests said it initially reminded him of a good chicken tikka masala. The coconut milk gave it a smooth, creamy broth that complimented the hearty texture of the soup, and the grated honey crisp apples imparted a little bit of tang, which was nice. But, the real star was the chicken, perfectly browned and spiced, each piece I got in my bowl was terrific.

There were some small things that could have been a little better... Several of the guests mentioned they thought it could use some more salt, and it did taste even better when I sprinkled some additional salt over my bowl. Also, while the flavors were rich and deep, it was not very (heat) spicy. As a result, several of our guests thought it could have used a bit more heat.

Lisa bought some naan bread, so I also made some fry bread to accompany the soup. It was my first time making it, and I am sorry to say I burned a good bit of it. Ooops! But, despite the fact that I overcooked it, it still turned out quite tasty and was a good companion for the Mulligatawny.

Potential Improvements? I think I'd definitely add more salt next time, seeing that was something several of my guests mentioned. Also, particularly if the crowd I am making for likes things on the spicier side (which I certainly do), I'd kick the spice up a notch by using spicy curry powder (instead of mild), a little more cayenne, and maybe even a bit of chili powder. If I'm feeling really froggy, I might even dice up a single serrano pepper (which have grown in popularity in southern Asian cuisine) to add to the veggie mix. 

Polling the Fam: I certainly enjoyed this one (including its history and exotic origins) and would certainly make it again (particularly with the changes above). Becky and Jayson, who both do not normally like Indian food or curry, thought it was just okay, but said that the chicken was good. Fox and Hunter both said they liked it okay, but that it needed more spice. Lisa said she really liked it, but mentioned that it needed more salt, and she suggested using at least some spicy curry powder in the mix. Matt said he loved it and that it was great, but (like Lisa) recommended more salt and spice. Nicole said it was "perfect," with just the right amount of curry, and said the fry bread added the extra salt she wanted.

Verdict: Liked it. (4 stars)