made a simple soup today, but realized I used loads of Indian influences (subconsciously).

Boiled and simmered a chicken carcase we had over Easter. Removed the meat, and made a stock with added pepper, and a little celery, plus a little roast celeriac and half a roast aubergine left over from the same meal.

After about an hour and a half of low simmering, passed the contents through a sieve, to leave a lovely chicken stock. To this I added more celeriac, potatoes, carrots, and onion, a little butternut squash (skin on) and some spices, coriander, cumin, smoked paprika, a tiny amount of cloves and mace and some dried mint. Then added pink lentils, moong dhal and urad dhal. Just before serving, added bits of chicken. Somehow, I had made a chicken and veg soup, with distinctly Indian flavours.

Had it for tea, outside in the garden for the first time this year (working over Easter) and the soup was delish. No strong flavours, as with many good Indian dishes, IMHO, but all the flavours were there to enjoy.

Wow! That is a very long process! Sounds like a mulligatawny soup of sorts :)