Warm, comforting and packed with nourishing ingredients, these soups and stews make wholesome meals without feeling heavy. From Indian favourites with a hearty twist to globally inspired bowls, each recipe brings together vegetables, grains, lentils and proteins in a delicious, satisfying way.
1. Lauki Chana Dal Soup
Light yet filling, this lauki chana dal soup combines tender bottle gourd with protein-rich chana dal for a comforting bowl. A gentle tempering of cumin, hing and spices adds a delicious Indian touch to this wholesome soup.
Prep time: 10-15 mins | Cook time: 20-25 mins (pressure cooker)
Ingredients
- ½ cup chana dal (split Bengal gram), rinsed and soaked for 30 minutes
- 3-4 cups lauki, peeled and chopped into small cubes
- 1 medium tomato, chopped or pureed
- 1 small onion, finely chopped (optional)
- 1 tsp ginger-garlic paste
- 1-2 green chillies, slit or chopped
- ½ tsp turmeric powder
- 1 tsp red chilli powder
- 1 tsp coriander powder
- ½ tsp cumin powder
- ½-1 tsp garam masala
- Salt to taste
- 3-4 cups water
- 1-2 tbsp ghee
For tempering:
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- Pinch of asafoetida (hing)
- 1-2 dried red chillies (optional)
- Few curry leaves (optional)
For finishing:
- Juice of ½ lemon
- 2-3 tbsp chopped coriander leaves
Method
- Soak dal: Rinse ½ cup chana dal and soak it in water for 30 minutes. Drain well.
- Pressure cook: Add the soaked dal, chopped lauki, tomato, onion, ginger-garlic paste, green chillies, turmeric, red chilli powder, coriander powder, salt and 3-4 cups water to a pressure cooker. Mix well. Pressure cook for 4-5 whistles on medium heat. Let the pressure release naturally.
- Mash lightly: Open the cooker and lightly mash the dal and lauki with a spoon or whisk. Keep some pieces intact for texture. Add more water if required and simmer for 5 minutes.
- Season: Stir in garam masala and lemon juice. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
- Temper: Heat ghee in a small pan. Add cumin seeds and let them splutter. Add hing, dried red chillies and curry leaves. Pour the tempering over the soup.
- Serve: Garnish with fresh coriander and serve hot.
2. Bouillabaisse
A classic French seafood stew, bouillabaisse is a fragrant medley of fish, tomatoes, aromatic vegetables and saffron simmered into a rich, flavourful broth. It makes an impressive yet comforting one-pot meal for seafood lovers.
Prep time: 30-45 mins | Cook time: 1-1½ hrs
Ingredients
For the broth/base:
- ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 large onion, diced
- 1 large leek, sliced and rinsed
- 2 celery stalks, chopped
- 4-6 garlic cloves, minced
- 2-3 ripe tomatoes, chopped
- 1-2 tbsp tomato paste
- ½ tsp saffron threads, crushed and steeped in 2 tbsp hot water
- 1 bay leaf
- 2-3 litres fish stock
- Salt to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
For the seafood:
- 1-1½ kg firm white fish fillets, cut into large chunks
Method
- Build the base: Heat olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot. Add onion, leek and celery and sauté over medium heat until softened.
- Add aromatics: Add minced garlic and cook for another minute. Stir in chopped tomatoes and tomato paste. Cook until the tomatoes soften and the mixture becomes fragrant.
- Simmer the broth: Add the fish stock, bay leaf, saffron water, salt and black pepper. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 30-45 minutes to develop the flavours.
- Add the fish: Gently add the fish chunks to the simmering broth. Cook for about 8-12 minutes, depending on the size of the pieces, until the fish is cooked through and flakes easily.
- Adjust seasoning: Taste the broth and adjust salt and pepper as needed. Remove the bay leaf.
- Serve: Ladle the hot bouillabaisse into bowls, ensuring each serving gets plenty of fish and aromatic broth. Serve immediately with crusty bread if desired.
3. Prawn Rasam
This prawn rasam brings together the comforting tang of tomato and tamarind rasam with juicy prawns and aromatic South Indian spices. Light, warming and full of flavour, it can be enjoyed as a soup or paired with steamed rice.
Prep time: 15 mins | Cook time: 20-25 mins
Ingredients
For the prawns:
- 300-400g fresh prawns
For the rasam base:
- 2-3 medium ripe tomatoes, chopped
- 1 small lemon-sized ball tamarind
- 3-4 cups water
- ½ tsp turmeric powder
- Salt to taste
- 1-2 tsp jaggery
- 2-3 tbsp chopped coriander leaves
For fresh spice powder:
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 tsp black peppercorns
For tempering:
- 1-2 tbsp ghee
- ½ tsp mustard seeds
- ½ tsp cumin seeds
- 1 sprig curry leaves
- 4-6 garlic cloves, crushed or chopped
- Pinch of asafoetida
Method
- Prepare tamarind and prawns: Soak tamarind in ½ cup warm water for 10 minutes. Extract and strain the pulp. Marinate the prawns with a pinch of turmeric and salt for 10 minutes.
- Make the spice blend: Dry roast cumin seeds and peppercorns for 1-2 minutes until aromatic. Cool and coarsely grind.
- Cook the base: Heat a little oil or ghee in a pot. Add garlic and sauté briefly. Add tomatoes, turmeric, salt, ground spices and tamarind extract. Cook for 5-7 minutes until the tomatoes become soft.
- Simmer: Add 3-4 cups water and jaggery. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 8-10 minutes on low-medium heat. Adjust the seasoning.
- Add prawns: Gently add the marinated prawns and cook for 3-5 minutes until pink and opaque. Avoid overcooking.
- Temper: Heat ghee in a small pan. Add mustard seeds and let them splutter. Add cumin, curry leaves, hing and garlic. Fry until aromatic and pour over the rasam.
- Serve: Garnish with coriander and serve hot with steamed rice or enjoy as a soup.
4. Mushroom & Black Rice Congee
Creamy without any dairy, this mushroom and black rice congee turns nutrient-rich black rice into a deeply comforting bowl. Earthy mushrooms, ginger, garlic and sesame oil add layers of savoury flavour to this slow-cooked dish.
Prep time: 15 mins | Cook time: 1½-2 hrs (stovetop) or 40-50 mins (pressure cooker)
Ingredients
- 1 cup black rice
- 6-8 cups vegetable stock
- 300-400g mixed mushrooms, sliced
- 4-6 dried shiitake mushrooms (optional)
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 3-4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2-inch piece ginger, grated or finely chopped
- 2-3 tbsp sesame oil
- 2-3 tbsp soy sauce
- Salt to taste
- Black pepper to taste
Method
- Rinse the rice: Rinse black rice thoroughly until the water runs clearer. For faster cooking, soak it for 1-2 hours or overnight.
- Sauté aromatics: Heat 2 tbsp sesame oil in a large pot. Add onion, garlic and ginger and sauté for 3-4 minutes until fragrant and softened.
- Cook the mushrooms: Add sliced mushrooms and soaked shiitake mushrooms, if using. Cook for 5-7 minutes until the mushrooms release their moisture and begin to brown.
- Add rice and stock: Stir in the rinsed black rice. Pour in the vegetable stock and reserved shiitake soaking liquid, if using. Add soy sauce, salt and black pepper.
Cook the congee:
- Stovetop: Bring to a boil, then reduce to a low simmer. Cover partially and cook for 1½-2 hours, stirring occasionally. Add more stock or water if needed.
- Pressure cooker/Instant Pot: Cook on high pressure for 35-45 minutes. Allow natural release for 10-15 minutes, then simmer uncovered if needed to thicken.
- ‘Finish: Continue cooking until the rice breaks down and the congee becomes creamy and velvety. Stir in a little extra sesame oil and adjust the seasoning.
- Serve: Spoon into bowls and serve hot with additional mushrooms, spring onions, sesame seeds or fresh herbs if desired.