Healthy monsoon soup recipes for comfort

• Embrace seasonal monsoon eating with nourishing soup recipes
• Try tomato shorba, palak soup, vegetable stew, rasam or dal soup
• Use immunity-boosting ingredients like ginger and garlic to stay well

As the sky turns grey and the rain begins to fall, nothing satisfies quite like a warm, comforting bowl of soup. This monsoon, embrace seasonal eating with simple, nourishing recipes that are as enjoyable to make as they are to eat.

Classic Tomato Shorba

A quintessential rainy-day companion, tomato shorba is a light, tangy, and deeply flavourful Indian soup. Tomatoes, which are in season during the monsoon, are the star here. This soup is traditionally spiced with cumin, ginger, garlic, and black pepper — ingredients known for their warming properties and ability to boost immunity. To prepare, simply sauté aromatics like cumin seeds, ginger, and garlic before adding chopped tomatoes. Let them cook down until soft, then blend the mixture until smooth. A final simmer brings all the flavours together. Garnish with fresh coriander for a bright finish. It's a quick, simple way to get a dose of Vitamin C and comfort in one bowl.

Nourishing Palak Soup (Spinach Soup)

Spinach is another vegetable that grows well during the Indian monsoon, making it a perfect choice for seasonal cooking. Palak soup is a wonderfully nutritious and vibrant green dish that feels both healthy and indulgent. To make a simple version, wilt fresh spinach leaves with sautéed onion and garlic. After a brief cooking time, the mixture is blended into a smooth purée. You can enrich the soup with a splash of milk or a touch of cream for a silkier texture, or keep it light with a simple vegetable broth base. Seasoned with a hint of black pepper, this soup is packed with iron and vitamins, offering a gentle boost to your system on a gloomy day.

Hearty Mixed Vegetable Stew

A versatile stew is the perfect solution for using the bounty of vegetables available during the monsoon, such as gourds, potatoes, and carrots. A mixed vegetable stew can be adapted to whatever you have on hand. Start by sautéing onions, ginger, and garlic, then add cubed potatoes, carrots, and any other sturdy vegetables. Cover with a flavourful vegetable or chicken broth and let it simmer until the vegetables are tender, which usually takes about 20-30 minutes. Spices like turmeric, coriander, and a pinch of garam masala add a distinctly Indian warmth. This one-pot meal is filling, easy to digest, and provides a wide array of nutrients to keep you energised.

Immunity-Boosting Rasam

Hailing from South India, rasam is more than just a soup; it's a wellness elixir in a bowl, celebrated for its ability to clear congestion and soothe sore throats. Its signature tangy flavour comes from a tamarind water base, which is simmered with tomatoes, black pepper, cumin, and garlic. These spices are lauded in traditional medicine for their ability to fight common monsoon ailments. Rasam is incredibly light on the stomach and acts as a great appetiser or digestive. While there are many variations, a simple tomato and pepper rasam is quick to make and incredibly effective. It can be sipped on its own or poured over steamed rice for a light, satisfying meal.

Protein-Packed Dal Soup

Lentils are a staple in Indian households, and a simple dal soup is the ultimate comfort food. Using masoor dal (red lentils) or moong dal (split yellow lentils), this soup is rich in protein and incredibly easy to prepare. Simply pressure cook the dal with turmeric and a chopped tomato until soft. In a separate pan, create a tadka by tempering ghee or oil with cumin seeds, asafoetida (hing), and minced garlic or ginger. Pouring this aromatic tempering over the cooked dal transforms it instantly. A squeeze of lemon juice at the end brightens the flavour. This soup is not only filling but also gentle on the digestive system, which can be sluggish during the monsoon.