Chop the onion, carrots, garlic, and apples (core and peel apples before chopping).
Cut the chicken breasts into small bite-sized pieces.
Cooking
Press sauté on your instant pot and melt the butter. Add onion, garlic and carrots. Fry the vegetables for 2 or 3 minutes until they are slightly soft and fragrant.
Add chicken, red lentils, Madras curry powder, black pepper powder and salt. Sauté for 2 or 3 minutes until the chicken loses its raw, pink color and turns white. Add a few splashes of water if you find that the chicken is sticking to the pot.
Add chicken or vegetable broth and finally the apples. Cancel sauté and close the lid. Make sure the steam release handle is sealed. Hit pressure cooking (high) for 10 minutes. When the timer beeps, wait for 10 minutes and release pressure.
Open the pot and stir in the coconut cream. If the soup appears to be a bit thin, simmer it on saute (normal) for 5 minutes.
Take it out in bowls and garnish with chopped parsley, fresh chilli flakes and oregano. Squeeze some lemon juice as well if you want an extra kick in your soup. Serve with warm, crusty bread on the side.
Stovetop Instructions
Follow the prep and sautéing steps as in the instant pot.
After you have added the chicken broth and apples (step 3), lower the heat and cook the soup for 25-30 minutes. Keep an eye on it as and don't forget to stir the soup regularly.
You might want to add a little more broth or water towards the end as more liquid evaporates in an open pan than in a pressure cooker.
Once the chicken is tender, switch off the heat and add the coconut cream. Garnish with chopped cilantro or parsley, fresh chilli flakes, oregano and lemon juice. Serve hot!
Notes
If you cannot find coconut cream, you can use ½ cup full-fat coconut milk also..
If you don't like red lentils, add half a cup of white rice instead.
Madras curry powder adds color and warmth to the soup, so don't skip it. It can be found easily in most supermarkets these days.
I used Royal Gala apples in this recipe. You can also use green apples if you wish.