2 days ago
10 desi soups from different Indian states that are perfect for monsoons
There's something about sipping hot soup while it pours outside — it just hits different. And while we usually think of tomato or sweet corn, Indian kitchens have always had their own monsoon favourites.
These aren't just soups — they're old-school comfort made with dal, veggies, rice, and spices that actually help your body deal with the season. They warm you up, support digestion, and keep those sniffles at bay. Here's a look at some desi bowls that do it all — flavour, warmth, and care in every sip.
Rasam – Tamil Nadu
This tangy, peppery broth is just what you need on a damp monsoon day — especially if you're feeling stuffy or a bit off. Made with tamarind, tomatoes, garlic, and spices, it's light but full of bold flavour.
Just simmer tamarind water with tomatoes, garlic, pepper, and cumin. Finish with a tadka of mustard seeds, curry leaves, and a pinch of hing.
Aloo Tama – Sikkim
A soupy curry of fermented bamboo shoots and potatoes, this one's got a deliciously sour kick. It's warming, gut-friendly, and packed with probiotic goodness — perfect when the damp weather messes with your stomach.
Boil bamboo shoots with cubed potatoes, garlic, and green chillies.
Add turmeric, salt, and a spoon of mustard oil to finish.
Dal Panchmel Shorba – Rajasthan
This royal lentil soup uses five different dals for richness and a boost of protein. It's earthy, nourishing, and surprisingly light — exactly what your body craves on a wet day.
Pressure cook a mix of five dals (moong, toor, chana, urad, masoor) with ginger, garlic, and tomatoes. Blend and temper with ghee, cumin, and red chillies.
Manchow-inspired Vegetable Soup – Meghalaya
Not strictly traditional but deeply loved across the Northeast, this garlicky, peppery soup with local veggies and crisp noodles is pure monsoon joy in a bowl.
Stir-fry chopped veggies with garlic, soy sauce, and green chilli. Add veg stock and thicken with cornflour. Top with crunchy noodles.
Khar – Assam
A unique alkaline soup made using raw papaya and an ingredient called khar (filtered through sun-dried banana ash), this dish aids digestion and flushes out toxins.
Boil raw papaya with khar and salt. Add mustard oil and a tempering of mustard seeds, green chilli, and garlic.
Thukpa – Arunachal Pradesh
This noodle-based soup is a blend of Himalayan flavours, veggies, and warming spices.
It's a complete meal and keeps you toasty and full on grey, rainy days.
Cook noodles with sautéed onions, garlic, ginger, and local veggies. Add veg stock, season with soy sauce and finish with chopped coriander.
Pepper Rasam with Millets – Karnataka
This twist on rasam includes cooked millets, making it more filling and fibrous. It's ideal when your appetite is low but you still want something wholesome.
Boil cooked millets in a pepper-tamarind broth with curry leaves and garlic.
Temper with mustard seeds and ghee.
Chana Sattu Soup – Bihar
Sattu is a monsoon hero — it's cooling, protein-rich, and easy to digest. Turn it into a savoury soup and you've got a rustic, satisfying antidote to sluggish weather.
Whisk sattu with warm water, salt, jeera, lemon, and chopped coriander. Heat gently with garlic tempering.
Patolee Saaru – Goa
A light dal-based soup with coconut and jaggery, this Goan gem strikes a lovely balance between sweet and savoury.
It's soothing, energising, and beautifully fragrant.
Boil toor dal with turmeric. Blend grated coconut with jaggery, chillies, and cumin, add to the dal and simmer.
Palak Ka Shorba – Punjab
This velvety green soup is a great way to pack in iron and antioxidants when your body's feeling run down. It's creamy without the cream and oh-so-satisfying.
Blanch spinach and blend with garlic, ginger, and green chilli. Cook with a splash of milk or coconut milk and season well.
