Mulligatawny Soup

A Tamil version that I would even leave the chicken out of and substitute in something like grated zucchini (but that is perhaps because I have a bunch of it frozen from last summer, and we are about to start up the new season in earnest this year). ¼ cup vegetable oil 1 red or yellow onion, minced Salt 8 garlic cloves, smashed and chopped 2 tablespoons minced ginger (from about 2 inches of peeled ginger root) 2 teaspoons black or brown mustard seeds 1 teaspoon ground turmeric 1 teaspoon curry powder ½ teaspoon ground cayenne, plus more to taste ½ teaspoon cumin seeds 2 carrots, peeled and sliced 2 celery stalks, sliced 1 large apple, preferably Granny Smith, peeled, cored and chopped 2 tablespoons tomato paste 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized chunks 1 cup masoor dal (split red lentils) 6 cups chicken broth or stock 1 (14-ounce) can coconut milk Juice of 1 lime (about 1½ tablespoons) Warm the oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the onion, season with salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent and shrunken, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic and ginger, and cook, stirring, until fragrant and softened, about 2 minutes. Add the mustard seeds, turmeric, curry powder, cayenne and cumin seeds, and cook, stirring constantly, until the mustard seeds pop and sizzle, about 90 seconds. Add the carrot, celery and apple, and cook, stirring, until just starting to soften, about 2 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste, then the flour, and cook, stirring well, to uniformly coat all the ingredients, about 2 minutes. Add the chicken, masoor dal and chicken broth. Season lightly with salt. Bring to a boil, stirring to scrape up any browned bits sticking to the bottom of the pot. Reduce the heat to maintain a simmer. Cover the pot and cook for 10 minutes, then uncover and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes more, until the chicken and carrots are tender, the soup is creamy, and the flavors have blended. Stir in the coconut milk and squeeze in the lime juice. Serve in bowls topped with a dusting of cayenne, if desired.