A spicy soup with curry flavoring, typically containing meat, vegetables, rice, and coconut milk. Originally from Indian cuisine but adapted for British tastes.
From Tamil மிளகுத்தண்ணீர் (miḷaguttaṇṇīr) meaning 'pepper water', composed of மிளகு (miḷagu) 'pepper' + தண்ணீர் (taṇṇīr) 'water'. The word entered English in the 18th century when British colonials encountered this spicy South Indian soup and adapted it for European palates.
Mulligatawny literally means 'pepper water' in Tamil - it was originally a simple, thin, spicy broth! British colonials found it too watery and bland, so they thickened it with cream, coconut milk, and various additions, creating the rich soup we know today.
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