4 vegetarian Indian soup recipes that will keep you warm during rainy, damp days

The summer heat is being replaced with a cool breeze and as the winds change and we prep for the Indian monsoon, our menus at home also need sprucing up. Ice creams and juices will feature less on the rota and steaming bowls of soup, welcome on damp days. Imagine being curled up in your favourite blanket with a good book and hot a bowl of soup, while it's raining outside. Perfect, right? Vogue spoke to chef chef Marina Balakrishnan of Oottupura, a Bengaluru-based restaurant, to share recipes of soups to keep you warm on a rainy day. 

1. Recipe: Spiced coconut milk soup

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp coconut oil

• 2 pieces cinnamon sticks

• 4 pieces cloves

• ¼ cup shallots, sliced

• ¼ cup carrot, cut into sticks

• ¼ cup beans, cut into sticks

• ¼ cup potato, cubes medium size

• ¼ tsp pepper powder

• 1 tsp ginger, slivered

• 1 cup coconut milk, freshly extracted or canned

• Curry leaves for garnish

• Salt to taste

Method: 

1. 1

   In a pan heat coconut oil, add in the cinnamon and cloves. Now add in the shallots and sauté till they are light brown.

2. 2

   Add all the vegetables and ginger, lightly sauté.

3. 3

   Add the pepper powder. Cover the pan and simmer till the vegetables are al dente.

4. 4

   After 20 minutes, check the vegetables and pour in one cup of coconut milk. Add salt and cook for five minutes on low flame.

5. 5

   Sprinkle curry leaves and few ginger slivers to garnish.

2. Recipe: Kanji broth

This is a unique soup that has multiple health benefits. The water that is drained from cooked red rice is used in this soup. Ayurveda highly recommends kanji water if one is suffering from gut issues or feeling tired and lethargic, and for general well being.

Ingredients:

• 4 cups kanji water (cook 1 cup red rice in 8 cups water. When rice is cooked, drain and reserve the water)

• Salt to taste

• ½ tsp turmeric powder

• ¼ cup carrot, diced

• ¼ cup pumpkin, diced

• ¼ cup eggplant, diced

• ¼ tsp peppercorns, crushed

Seasoning:

• 1 tsp mustard seeds

• 2-3 dry red chillies

• 1 sprig curry leaves

Method: 

1. 1

   In a bowl, take the rice water and mix in salt and turmeric.

2. 2

   Boil over medium heat.

3. 3

   After a few boils, add all the chopped vegetables and crushed peppercorns.

4. 4

   Let it boil over on medium heat for 5-10 minutes.

5. 5

   Once the vegetables are cooked through, turn off heat and keep aside.

6. 6

   In a pan add some vegetable oil, add in the seasonings and let them crackle.

7. 7

   Add in to the kanji soup and serve hot.

3. Recipe: Rasam 

Ingredients for rasam powder: 

• 2 tbsp coriander seeds

• 10 dry red chillies

• 1 tbsp peppercorns, crushed

• ¼ tsp methi

• 2 sprigs curry leaves

• 1 tbsp tuvar dal

• 1/2 tsp hing

Ingredients for rasam: 

• Tamarind water, 1 small lemon size soaked in ½ cup water

• 1 tomato, chopped

• 2 pods garlic, crushed

• ½ tsp turmeric

• 1 tsp chilli powder

• Salt to taste

Seasoning: 

• 1 tsp mustard seeds

• 2 dry chillies

• 1 sprig curry leaves

• 2 tbsp vegetable oil

Method: 

1. 1

   Dry roast the rasam powder ingredients on low flame until the raw smell disappears. Cool and powder fine and keep aside.

2. 2

   Heat a pan and pour the tamarind water and boil on a medium flame.

3. 3

   Add chopped tomatoes and crushed garlic into the mix and cook until tomato is soft.

4. 4

   Add in the salt, turmeric, chilli powder and one tablespoon rasam powder into the mix and bring to a nice boil.

5. 5

   Heat oil in a pan. Add in the mustard seeds. When they splutter, add in the dry chillies and curry leaves. Pour the tempering into the rasam. Serve hot.

4. Recipe: Rice soup 

Ingredients: 

• 1 cup red rice or white rice, broken

• 7 cups water

• 1 tsp spice mix (recipe below)

• Salt to taste

Ingredients for spice mix:

• 1 tsp jeera

• ½ tsp peppercorn

• 1 tsp ajwain

• ½ tsp methi

• 1 tsp kala jeera

Method:

1. 1

   Wash and soak rice for 30 minutes.

2. 2

   In a pressure cooker, add rice with 7 cups of water.

3. 3

   Cook the rice for three whistles on a medium flame. Let it cool.

4. 4

   Mix all the ingredients for the spice mix and blend it in mixer. Make a powder and bottle.

5. 5

   Add 1 tsp of the spice mix to the rice and cook for another minute. Season with salt according to taste. Serve on a platter with teaspoon of the spice mix sprinkled on.

Also read: 

4 healthy Indian breakfast recipes that will get you through the week

4 quick and easy one pot recipes that are perfect for when you can't deal with washing more dishes

4 quick and easy-to-make dinner ideas for when you're tired of cooking in the lockdown