Soups, Salads and Wellness: Recipes for the Changing Season

Winter has bidden us adieu, making way for the warmth of summer. With this seasonal transition comes unpredictable weather, bringing along its usual companions—runny noses and the flu. Then there’s the inevitable “war of remotes,” where siblings and spouses battle over the perfect air conditioner temperature, or fan modes, never quite reaching a unanimous decision.

Despite these minor inconveniences, the vibrant bounty of fresh fruits and vegetables in the markets makes up for it. The greens, reds, yellows, and oranges paint a lively picture, instantly lifting the mood. Their natural colours are a silent promise of the essential vitamins and minerals our bodies need to thrive.

Nothing feels more comforting than a warm bowl of soup paired with a refreshing salad. It’s a wholesome meal that not only boosts immunity against seasonal ailments but also helps maintain a healthy weight—an essential counterbalance to the indulgences of the festive season. Healthy eating—a term often misunderstood as dull and uninspiring—doesn’t have to be bland or monotonous. As my maternal grandmother used to say, food rich in nutrients can never be boring if made right.

So, here I am, sharing some of her treasured soup and salad recipes, passed down through generations and carefully preserved in recipe books authored by her. These are simple, fuss-free, and nourishing—yet bursting with flavour.

Also Read: Shwe Yin Aye- A Summer Delicacy from Myanmar

Here are some of Sadhana Mukhopadhyay’s signature soup and salad recipes. While for me, they are nostalgia in a bowl, for you, they might just be the comfort you didn’t know you needed.

Soups

Mulligatawny Soup

Ingredients:
Cooked rice – 2 tbsp
Water – 4 cups
Nut-based oil (e.g., almond, peanut, or walnut oil) – 2 tbsp
Carrots (finely chopped) – ½ cup
Onion (finely chopped) – 2 tbsp
Garlic (ground) – ½ tsp
Ginger paste – 1 tsp
Boiled masoor dal (red lentils) – ½ cup
Tomato (finely chopped) – 1 pc
Beans (finely chopped) – 3 pcs
Salt – to taste
Juice of one lemon

Mulligatawny Soup

Procedure:
Heat oil in a pan and sauté the onion and garlic until fragrant.
Add the carrots, ginger, and beans, then blend well.
Add water as needed and season with salt.
Once the vegetables are boiled, add the tomato and cook until soft.
Stir in the cooked rice and boiled masoor dal.
Pour in four cups of water and bring the mixture to a boil.
Once it reaches a boil, remove the pan from the heat and let it cool slightly.
Grind the mixture into a smooth paste using a mixer grinder or mash it with a stirrer.
Reheat the mixture and serve hot with a dash of lemon juice.

Ingredients:
Carrot (large) – 1 (grated)
Onion (large) – 1 (chopped)
Cabbage – ½ cup (grated)
Potato – 1 (peeled and grated)
Tomatoes – 2 (grated)
Butter – 1 tbsp
Arrowroot or cornflour – 1 tbsp
Salt and pepper – to taste
Bread slices – 2 (for croutons)
Oil – for frying croutons

Procedure:
Heat butter in a pan and sauté the grated carrot, chopped onion, grated cabbage, and grated potato for 4-5 minutes.
Add 4 cups of water and mix in the cornflour, stirring well to combine. Let the soup simmer on low heat for 5 minutes.
Add the grated tomatoes to the boiling soup and mix gently.
Meanwhile, cut the bread slices into small pieces and fry them in oil until golden brown to prepare croutons.
Pour the soup into serving bowls and garnish with crispy croutons.
Serve piping hot and enjoy!

Ingredients:
Mutton – ½ kg
Onion – 2 (cut into quarters)
Carrot – 1 (cut into quarters)
Cloves – 4
Salt – to taste
Coriander leaves – 1 tbsp (finely chopped)
Green peas – 1 cup (boiled)
Bread – 2 slices
Nut-based oil (for frying) – as needed
Water – as required

Procedure:
In a pressure cooker, add the mutton, quartered onion, carrot, cloves, and salt. Pour in enough water to submerge the ingredients.
Bring the mixture to a boil, then cover and cook until the mutton is tender.
Once cooked, add the finely chopped coriander leaves, cover the lid, and let it rest for a few minutes to seal in the aroma.
Strain the mixture to extract a clear soup, discarding the solids.
Meanwhile, prepare the croutons by cutting the bread into bite-sized pieces and shallow frying them in nut-based oil until golden and crispy.
Pour the hot soup into porcelain bowls and garnish with boiled green peas and crispy croutons.
Serve warm and enjoy!

Ingredients:
Onion – ½ cup (finely chopped)
Butter – 3 tsp
Boiling water – 1 cup
Potatoes – 1 cup (finely chopped)
Ground pepper – ½ tsp
Salt – as required
Prawns (small-sized, cleaned and deveined) – 250 g
Milk – ¼ cup
Finely grated cheese – ½ cup
Parsley or coriander leaves – 1 tbsp (finely chopped)
Cornflour or arrowroot powder – 1 tsp

Procedure:
Heat butter in a pan and sauté the finely chopped onions until soft and translucent.
Add the potatoes, prawns, salt, and pepper, stirring well to combine. Pour in boiling water and mix thoroughly.
Cover the pan with a lid and let the mixture simmer for about 15 minutes, or until the potatoes and prawns become tender.
Pour in the milk and bring the mixture to a gentle boil.
In a small bowl, mix cold milk with arrowroot or cornflour to form a smooth, slightly liquid paste. Gradually add this mixture to the soup, stirring continuously to thicken.
Sprinkle grated cheese and finely chopped parsley or coriander leaves over the soup.
Serve immediately while hot.

Spicy Chicken Soup

Ingredients:
Chicken – Meat removed from one whole chicken, cut into small pieces
Onion – 1 (finely chopped)
Whole peppercorns – 10 (ground)
Ginger paste – 1 tsp
Turmeric powder – as required
Salt – to taste
Coriander powder – 2 tsp
Red chili powder – 1 tsp
Butter – 1 tbsp
Water – 4 cups

Procedure:
In a pressure cooker, add the chicken, 4 cups of water, turmeric powder, and salt. Cook until the chicken is fully boiled.
In a small bowl, mix ground pepper, ginger paste, coriander powder, and red chili powder with a little water to form a smooth paste. Add this paste to the boiled chicken and let it simmer for a while.
In a separate pan, fry the onions until they turn golden brown.
Transfer the chicken soup into glass or porcelain bowls and garnish with the fried onions.
Serve hot and enjoy!

Salads

Ingredients:

Boiled eggs – 8 (cut into equal halves)
Whisked curd (yogurt) – 3 cups
Finely chopped coriander leaves – 1 tbsp
Salt – to taste
Lemon juice – 2 tbsp
Lemon zest – 1 tsp
Butter or ghee – 1 tbsp
Whole cumin seeds – 1 tsp
Red chili powder – 1 tsp
Big cardamom – 1 tsp (ground)

Procedure:
Arrange the boiled egg halves on a plate with the yolk side facing down.
In a bowl, whisk the curd with salt and lemon juice. Add grated lemon zest and chopped coriander leaves, mixing well.
Heat ghee or butter in a pan and temper with whole cumin seeds, ensuring they don’t burn.
Add red chili powder and big cardamom powder to the whisked curd and blend well.
Pour the spiced yogurt dressing over the egg halves.
Serve immediately and enjoy!

Bean Salad with Garlic Sauce

Ingredients:
For the Garlic Sauce:
Sour curd – 1 cup
Garlic – 4 cloves (ground)
Pepper powder – ½ tsp
Salt – to taste
Spring onion (with leaves) – 1 (chopped)
Mint leaves – 1 tsp (finely chopped)

For the Salad:
Tender beans – 400g (chopped into small pieces)
Butter – 2 tbsp
Onion – ½ cup (finely chopped)
Coriander leaves – 1 tbsp (finely chopped)
Salt – to taste

Bean Salad with Garlic Sauce

Procedure:
Prepare the Garlic Sauce:
Blend sour curd, ground garlic, pepper powder, salt, chopped spring onion, and finely chopped mint leaves until smooth. Set aside.

Prepare the Salad:
Boil the chopped beans in salted water until tender but firm, ensuring they do not become mushy.
Drain the water and set the beans aside.
Heat butter in a pan and sauté the finely chopped onions until golden brown.
Add the boiled beans, sauté for a minute, and season with salt.
Transfer the salad to a glass bowl and garnish with finely chopped coriander leaves.

Serve:
Serve the salad with the freshly prepared garlic sauce on the side.

Ingredients:
Poultry eggs- 4
Finely chopped coriander leaves- 1 teaspoon
Salt and pepper to taste
Finely chopped spring onion (including leaves)- 1 tablespoon
Butter- 1 ½ tablespoons
Grated carrot- 1 cups
Small cucumber, peeled and thinly sliced- 1
Finely chopped onions- ½ cup
Tomato, sliced into circles- 1 cups
French salad dressing- 3 tablespoons

Carrot and Egg Salad

Procedure:
Break the eggs into a bowl and whisk them well.
Add salt, pepper, chopped coriander leaves, spring onion, and butter to the whisked eggs. Cook into an omelette.
Allow the omelette to cool, then chop it into small pieces.
In a mixing bowl, combine the chopped omelette with grated carrot and French salad dressing. Mix well.
Transfer the salad to a serving dish and garnish by arranging cucumber and tomato slices around it.

French Dressing

Ingredients:
Nut-based oil- 1 cup
Salt- 1 teaspoon
Vinegar- ½ cup
Egg white (from a poultry egg)- 1

Procedure:
Heat water in a large, flat-bottomed utensil or dekchi until it simmers.
In a small saucepan, combine the oil, salt, vinegar, and egg white.
Hold the saucepan over the simmering water with one hand and use a fork in the other hand to continuously stir the mixture.
Keep stirring until the dressing thickens to the desired consistency.

Curried Yogurt Chicken Salad

Ingredients:
2 cups sour curd (yogurt)
1 cup boneless chicken, cut into thin strips and fried in oil
3 teaspoons curry powder
1 teaspoon red chili powder
Salt, as needed
½ cup orange slices, cut into halves
½ cup pomegranate pearls
½ cup green grapes
½ cup black grapes
½ cup finely chopped cashews
½ cup raisins
Lettuce leaves for garnishing

Procedure:
In a bowl, whisk the sour curd thoroughly. Add 2 teaspoons of curry powder, red chili powder, and salt, then whisk again until well combined.
In another bowl, mix all the fruits together, setting aside a few cashews and raisins for garnishing.
Add the fried chicken pieces and the remaining 1 teaspoon of curry powder to the fruit mixture and mix well.
Pour the prepared yogurt dressing over the salad and toss gently to coat everything evenly.
Line a serving bowl with 4–5 lettuce leaves and transfer the salad onto them.
Garnish by sprinkling the reserved pomegranate pearls, grapes, cashews, and raisins over the top and around the salad.

There’s a unique satisfaction in preparing your own bowl of soup or salad and settling in front of the television for a Netflix binge—a perfect way to unwind after a long day or on a lazy weekend. With a little planning, you can cut down on prep time and have a wholesome, nourishing meal ready in no time. You can put your own twist on these recipes by adding extra vegetables and fruits that complement the existing ingredients. If you’re experimenting with your own creations, soups and salads offer the perfect canvas for creativity—allowing you to mix flavours, textures, and colours while packing in all the nutrients. And don’t forget to capture a snap of your hearty bowl—both your body and your Instagram feed will thank you later!

Image Courtesy: Wikimedia Commons

Surela Chakraborty

Surela Chakraborty is a freelance writer by profession and passion. Her works have been published in several print and digital media. She also loves to dabble with poetry, dance and music. As an avid traveler she seeks adventure and believes to live life that is bold and different. Nature, human emotions and life experiences inspire the poet in her.