Mulligatawny Soup With Toasted Spices And Nuts

Break the cinnamon stick into pieces. In a piece of clean muslin or double layer of cheesecloth, wrap the cinnamon stick, cloves, cardamom pods and peppercorns, and tie up into a bag.

In a soup pot, combine the spice bag, ginger, nuts, vegetables, stock and curry powder. Bring to a boil; reduce the heat and simmer, covered until the vegetables are tender, about 30 minutes. Remove the spice bag, then puree the stock and vegetables in a blender or food processor. Pass the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve, pressing with the back of a spoon to extract as much liquid as possible. Thin with additional stock, if desired. Return to pot and reheat gently.

For the seasoning, warm a small pan over moderate heat. Add the mustard seeds, cover and cook until they pop and turn gray. Remove the pan from the heat. Add the cumin seeds and butter and let the spices cool. Pour the spice seasoning into the soup, stirring to mix. Season with salt and pepper, and garnish with cilantro.