There are few dishes that really hit the spot better than soups, and that is doubly true during cold winters, when you crave something warm you up from the inside. And so, for this winter, try out these delicious soup recipes.

BOK CHOY SOUP

Ingredients

To marinate the chicken —

250 g chicken

1 tbsp soya sauce

2 tsp garlic paste

2 tsp coriander root paste

1 tsp ginger paste

1 tsp green chilli paste

1 tsp salt

1 tsp sugar

¼ tsp white pepper powder

For the soup —

1 litre chicken stock

500g whole Bok choy or spinach

1 tbsp soya sauce

25g straw mushroom

4-5 green chilli

Peppercorn stem

Method

In a bowl, combine all the ingredients from the chicken marinade and mix well. Make chicken mix into small balls using ½ tablespoon of the mixture. Wash and cut the bok choy in ½ inches lengthwise. Add the chicken stock in a soup pot on high heat. Let it boil.  Add the chicken balls into the boiling stock. Simmer for 5 minutes. When the chicken balls are cooked add bok choy, soya sauce, mushrooms, green chili and peppercorn stem, simmer for 2 minutes, adjust the taste. Remove from the heat. Serve hot.

CANNELLINI BEAN SOUP

Ingredients

2 tsp olive oil

¼ cup chorizo, cut in cubes

¼ cup leek, thinly sliced

1 tbsp minced garlic

100g chicken gizzard, cleaned, washed and cut in quarter

1½ cup mixed and soaked overnight cannellini beans

4 cups tom yum broth

1 tsp Italian mix

½ tsp seasoning salt

100g Ceylon spinach

Salt and pepper to taste (if needed)

Fried Basil to serve with

Method

Heat olive oil and add chorizo, leek and garlic. Fry until golden brown. Add the gizzard, fry for 2 minutes and pour 1 cup of broth. Simmer until the gizzard is half tender. Add the soaked bean, turn the heat to high. Add the rest of the broth, Italian mix and seasoning salt. Cover and lower the heat. Once the beans are tender add the spinach. Make a good mix, adjust the taste and remove from the heat. Serve with the fried basil.

LEMONGRASS SOUP, FUSION

This soup depends on individual choice. Ingredients are flexible.

Ingredients

To marinate the protein —

200g thinly sliced boneless chicken

200g shrimp meat

100g champignon, quartered

1 tsp paprika powder

1 tsp dry chilli powder

1 tsp ginger paste

2 tsp garlic paste

2 tsp salt

1 tbsp oil

For the soup base —

4 cups water

1 cup homemade chicken stock

2 tbsp hot sauce

3 tbsp tomato-ketchup

1 tbsp sugar

3 egg

2 tbsp light soy sauce

Other ingredients for soup —

4 stalks of lemongrass, cut in 2 inch pieces and bruised

2-inch galangal, thinly sliced

3 tbsp corn flour, mix with ½ cup of water

5 green chillies, halved

2 tbsp lemon juice

Method

Marinate the protein and mushroom for 20 minutes. Heat a pan with oil and fry the protein mix in a high heat for about 2 minutes. Remove from the stove top. In a soup bowl add all the soup base ingredients and add the lemongrass and galangal. Bring it to a boil. Simmer for 7 minutes, add the fried proteins, simmer for 1 minute. Pour the corn flour slurry, green chillies and lemon juice. Adjust the taste and serve hot.

Food and Photo: Shaheda Yesmin