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It's natural to long for warm, filling dishes as the weather turns colder. And often, our soul craves something soupy. Instead of the regular choices, how about trying something different? A few hearty lentil soups inspired by Indian cuisine will hit the spot on a chilly night. They'll keep the sniffles away and the belly full, thanks to the abundance of warming and anti-inflammatory spices typical of the season.
Here are some wholesome lentil soup options to try at home when you require something to add warmth from the inside out.
Comforting lentil and sweet potato soup
This soup's filling fibre from the lentils and sweet potatoes will keep you full. The warming spices like garam masala, garlic, and turmeric will give the soup a delicious flavour.
Delicious Maharajah's Mulligatawny
Maharajah's Mulligatawny soup
The use of apples, carrots, and tomatoes in this Indian soup cut through the richness of the lamb, while a variety of spices—including red chilli peppers, curry, and coriander—added depth. To amp up the protein quotient, you may add ground or shredded meat of your choice.
Dal gets palak and tomoato
Lentil tomato soup, Image Source: Pexels
You won't feel stuffed after having this rich and nutritious meal. One of the famous examples of such soup is South Indian sambar. Using lentils or dal of your preference, add a wide variety of greens and veggies to make this soup. Dark greens, such as kale, swiss chard, or mustard greens, can be used instead of spinach. Instead of regular consistency of dal recipes, this has to be a little runny.
Horsegram lentil soup, aka ulava charu
Ulavalu Soup, Image Source: pipingpotcurry
Horsegram lentils, also known as ulavalu, are used to make a soup similar to rasam, which is popular in Andhra Pradesh. The tamarind gives it a sour flavour, and the curry leaves and mustard seeds give it a spicy scent, just like in rasam.
Yummy mulligatawny soup
Aromatic spices like cloves, cumin, coriander, turmeric, and cardamom are combined with coconut milk to create this savoury soup. Although red lentils are a good source of protein and fibre, the dish would benefit even more from adding chicken.
Kashmiri gosht yakhni shorba
Gosht yakhni shorba, Image Source: Pinterest
Soups such as tomato and coriander, chicken, lentil, and even yoghurt fall under the umbrella of the Persian word shorba. Cold nights call for this hearty Kashmiri mutton broth. Saffron, yoghurt, and very gentle spices give the mutton a deep, pleasant flavour.
Moong lauki soup
Lentil soup with pumpkin, Image Source: Pexels
Although bottle gourd soup or lauki or ghiya isn't delicious, it's used as the foundation for a comforting moong dal soup in this dish. The bottle gourd is pureed and cooked with spices like cumin, garlic, and onion before serving. You may also replace bottle gourd with pumpkin for a sweeter taste.
Tips for keeping lentil soup fresh in the fridge:
These soups can be made in advance and are perfect for planning meals. You can prepare a day ahead and store it in the fridge. The next day, it's even better in flavour.
Refrigerator: If you store the leftovers in an airtight container, they will keep them in the refrigerator for up to three days.
Reheat: Put the soup in a microwave or stovetop until hot.
Lentil soups are one of the easiest, healthiest and yummiest ways to keep warm in winter. Which one would you like to try?
