Himachal Pradesh is one of the most famous states in India among tourists from India and different parts of the world as well. It is home to some of the most beautiful hill stations in the country including Shimla and Manali. Other than wonderful treks and glorious hills, Himachal Pradesh also has a special food culture carried forward by the people living in the hills. As the temperature in Himachal Pradesh remains very low throughout the year, the food practices are generally inclined towards the use of warmer ingredients. The state has several delightful soup recipes that will warm your soul and mind during harsh winter seasons. As we have approached December, let's look at some of the most delicious soup recipes inspired by the Himachali cuisine we can try making at home.
* Sepu Vadi
Sepu Vadi is a famous Himachali soup variety that is made by using spinach and gram flour in generous quantities. Spinach is abundantly available during the winter season and when combined with gram flour it gives the needed warmth to the body. A lot of other spices are added in subtle quantities to give the soup an overall delicious taste. Here is the list of ingredients that you need to make this at your home.
* 1 cup gram flour
* 1 cup chopped spinach leaves
* 1 finely chopped onion
* 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
* Salt to taste
* 1 teaspoon ghee
* Water as needed
* One green chilli
* One piece of grated ginger
* 2-3 cloves of garlic
* ½ teaspoon red chilli powder
* ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
Now to prepare this warm soup, add some ghee in a pan and roast your cumin seeds until they crackle properly. Add your chopped onions, garlic, ginger and green chillies inside the pan. Sauté everything until your onions turn translucent. Now mix gram flour with some water and form a smooth paste out of it. Cook this paste inside a separate pan and cook everything for a few minutes by stirring it continuously. Add turmeric powder, red chilli powder, and salt. Another final step is adding spinach and some water to achieve a soup-like consistency. your suit will be prepared after some time. Meanwhile, with the smooth paste that you have prepared with the help of gram flour, you can make small dumplings and add them to your soup. This is a very wholesome food that you can easily have in your lunch or dinner and it will keep you full for a very long time.
* Chana Madra Soup
Chana Madra Soup is a soup that is primarily made from chickpeas and a variety of spices. This is a light soup that you can have on cold winter evenings with a slice of bread or anything else by the side. The recipe is also quite simple and you can easily make it at home with whatever ingredients are available. Here is the list of things that you will need to make the soup.
* 1 finely chopped onion
* 1 cup of boiled chickpeas
* 1 chopped tomato
* 2 to 3 garlic cloves
* 1 inch piece of ginger
* Salt to taste
* 1 tablespoon of ghee
* Water as per requirement
* ½ tablespoon of cumin seeds
* ½ teaspoon of coriander powder
* ½ teaspoon of Garam masala
* ½ teaspoon of turmeric
To make this soup, heat a pan and put some ghee inside it. Now put in your cumin seeds and let them crackle for some time. After that add chopped onions, minced garlic and grated ginger. Let them cook properly until everything becomes mushy. Add some turmeric powder, coriander leaves, salt and Garam masala. Stir everything well. Now add your boiled chickpeas and water in enough quantity to have a soup-like consistency. Let this mixture cook on low heat for 10 to 15 minutes. Season your soup with some fresh coriander leaves and serve it hot.
Image Credits- Pexels
* Thukpa
Thukpa is the noodle soup that originated in Nepal but is famous in many north Indian states and has different variations as per region. People in Himachal Pradesh make it by using a lot of North Indian spices along with noodles and vegetables. This is a very wholesome and warm meal that is perfect for winters as it is fulfilling and also very nourishing. Let's have a look at the ingredients that are used in making Thukpa.
* 1 cup boiled noodles
* 1 finely chopped onion
* 2 to 3 cloves of garlic
* ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
* ½ teaspoon cumin powder
* Salt to taste
* 1 piece of ginger
* 1 tablespoon of oil
* 4 cups of vegetable or chicken broth
* 2 cups of mixed vegetables like carrots, beans, cabbage, etc that are finely chopped
This dish is prepared by heating some oil in a pot and adding some chopped onions, garlic and grated ginger inside the pan. Now everything is sautéed until the onions become a little golden in colour. After that, the mixture of vegetables, turmeric powder, cumin powder, and salt is added. Everything is cooked for a few minutes, after which some vegetable or chicken broth is added to the mixture. Now boiled noodles are also added inside the soup and the mixture is cooked for a few minutes until everything gets properly cooked. It is served with fresh coriander leaves.
Video Credits- YouTube
These are some top soup recipes originating from the state of Himachal Pradesh that can be made by using some common ingredients already available at home.