5 Comforting Hot Broth Recipes For Braving The Cold Weather

Winter is probably the best season in India as it brings us a much-need respite from the scorching heat and humidity. But it is also the season when we’re prone to falling sick the most. So a hot broth soup is perfect to keep you warm in this cold weather and also to nourish you enough to bounce back with required nutrients as you recover from a cold. Here are five recipes suggested by nutritionist Avantii Deshpaande that you will find comforting this winter. Deshpaande is a columnist, gut health expert and food consultant with over 20 years of industry experience. She is also the author of Learn The Art To Eat Smart, a fun cookbook with several healthy recipes you can cook every day. From the same manual, we pull out the most soothing and comforting recipes for you!

1.  Vegan Bone Broth

Ingredients:

• Water (1 ½ liter)

• Shiitake mushrooms (3-4)

• Miso paste for soups (1 tbsp)

• 1 Carrot (cut into cubes)

• 3 Celery sticks (cut into cubes)

• 1 chopped onion

• Garlic (3-4 pieces)

• Salt to taste

• Ghee/coconut oil

Directions:

1. In a big vessel, pour 1 ½ litres of water.

2. Add the chopped onions, whole garlic cloves, chopped carrots, and celery sticks to the water. Crush and add the shitake mushrooms.

3. Add salt to taste and stir gently.

4. Cover it with a lid and cook for 45 minutes on low flame. Filter the liquid using a strainer in a bowl.

5. Now, mix 1 tbsp miso paste with ghee/coconut oil. 

6. Add the paste to the broth and mix it well.

7. Serve hot with ghee/coconut oil.

Benefits: Consuming probiotics foods in winter is important as the good bacteria in them help fight infections. “In case you are a vegetarian, this is a perfect recipe as it has the goodness of vegetables and miso paste which is a probiotic,” says Deshpaande.

2. Paya Soup (also known as Bone Broth)

Ingredients:

• Lamb trotters 150-200 gm (5-6 pcs)

• Onion finely chopped- 1 cup

• Garlic crushed- 1 tablespoon

• Ginger cut into thin strips- ½ inch

• Bay leaves- 2 nos.

• Green cardamom- 2 nos.

• Cinnamon- 1 stick

• Mace- 1 stick

• Cloves- 2 nos.

• Chopped coriander stems and leaves- 2 tbsp

• Cold-pressed coconut oil- 1 tbsp

• Salt, black pepper powder to taste

• Water- 500-650 ml

Directions:

1. Heat oil in a pressure cooker, and add whole spices first. Once they are fragrant, add chopped onion, garlic & ginger and sauté till the onion is translucent. Then add lamb trotters and sauté on low heat.

2. Add salt, pepper, and water and mix well. Pressure cook for 3 whistles.

3. Strain the contents with a strainer.

4. Pour the soup into a serving bowl, squeeze fresh lemon juice, and serve piping hot.

5. If you wish, add the mutton pieces back to the soup along with the vegetables of your choice.

Benefits: Paya Soup is rich in various nutrients which makes it a healthy choice for improving your immunity, bone, and skin health. “It contains natural collagen and also helps to heal the gut faster,” adds the nutrition expert.

3. Carrot Lentil Soup

Ingredients: 

• 2 cups chopped carrots

• 1/2 cup chopped onions

• 1 tbsp yellow moong dal (split yellow gram)

• 3/4 cup low-fat milk(99.7 % fat-free ,readily available in the market)

• Salt and freshly ground black pepper powder to taste

Directions:

• 1. Combine the carrots, onions, and moong dal, add 2¼ cups of water, mix well and pressure cook for 2 whistles. Allow the steam to escape before opening the lid. Keep aside to cool.

• 2. Blend in a mixer to a smooth purée and strain using a strainer.

• 3. Transfer to a deep pan, add the milk, salt, and pepper, mix well and bring to a boil. Serve hot.

Benefits: This recipe is perfect for winter since carrots are easily available. “Root vegetables are available in surplus in the winters. They are nutrient-dense and seasonal. It’s best to combine these with lentils which will help increase the protein content,” suggests Deshpaande.

4. Healthy Tomato Soup

Ingredients:

• 5 cups chopped tomatoes

• 1/3 cup yellow moong dal (split yellow gram)

• 1 onion, finely chopped

• 1 tbsp cornflour or plain flour (maida)

• 1 to 2 tsp sugar (if required)

• 1/3 cup warm milk

• 2 tsp butter

• Salt and black pepper (kali mirch) powder to taste

Directions:

1. Pressure cook the tomatoes with the moong dal in 3 to 4 cups of water till the dal is cooked.

2.     Cool and blend in a liquidiser. Keep aside.

3.     Melt the butter, add the onion, sauté for 3 to 4 minutes and add the puréed mixture.

4.     Mix the cornflour with a little water and pour it into the soup. Simmer for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.

5.     Add the sugar, milk, salt, and pepper and bring to a boil. Serve hot.

Benefits: If you have tomatoes in the pantry, try this recipe for a light yet healthy meal. “Tomatoes are a staple vegetable used to make soup. In this recipe, it's coupled with lentils to increase protein and it’s a dish in itself,” states Deshpaande. 

5. Mixed Vegetable Soup

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups roughly chopped tomatoes

• 1/4 cup roughly chopped onions

• 1/2 cup roughly chopped cabbage

• ½ potato

• 1/4 cup roughly chopped capsicum

• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions: 

1. Heat the oil in a pressure cooker, add the onions and sauté on a medium flame for 1 minute.

2. Add the tomatoes, cabbage and capsicum, potato and sauté on a medium flame for 2 minutes.

3. Add 1½ cups of water, mix well and pressure cook for 3 whistles.

4. Allow the steam to escape before opening the lid.

5. Cool and blend in a mixer till smooth.

6. Transfer the soup to a deep non-stick pan, add the salt and pepper, mix well and cook on a medium flame for 2 minutes, while stirring occasionally. Serve hot

Benefits: If you need an easy-to-cook recipe, this mixed vegetable soup is perfect. “All the vegetables left over in the refrigerator can be used to make this soup. It's nutrient dense and best for cold winter nights,” adds Deshpaande.