Every country has a unique cuisine that culture and culinary traditions influence, and the dishes consist of ingredients widely available in the area. One type of food that varies from one country to the next is soups. In India, the soups usually use herbs and spices that people commonly use in Indian cuisine to create flavoursome and aromatic soups. So, what are the most common Indian soups? Here are some of the most common soups from India.
Mulligatawny: One of the Best-Known Indian Soups Internationally
The original version of mulligatawny soup is of Indian origin, and it was spiced water with rice and vegetables, often eaten by poor families. The modern version of mulligatawny is largely influenced by British people from the time of the British Raj, and there are many versions of these Indian soups. Some examples include vegetable mulligatawny, lentil mulligatawny, lamb mulligatawny, and chicken mulligatawny. Image credit: pelican from Tokyo, Japan, CC BY-SA 2.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Rasam: A Typical Soup of Indian Origin
Rasam is a vegetarian soup from South India with a sour and tangy flavour. The base of the soup is tamarind juice, and typical ingredients may include lentils, tomatoes, lemon, chilli, cumin, and pepper. Traditionally, people serve rasam with rice as an appetizer. It follows a course of sambar and is eaten before the main dish. Read our rasam recipe here.
Image credit: Kvr.lohith, CC BY-SA 4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
One of the Most Common Indian Soups: Pappu Charu
Originating from Andhra Pradesh, a South Indian region, pappu charu is a lentil and tamarind soup containing vegetables such as sweet potatoes, tomatoes, carrots, pumpkin, eggplant, or a combination of several vegetables. In addition to lentils, tamarind, and vegetables, the Indian soup is flavoured with ginger, garlic, fenugreek, mustard seed, and curry leaves. Some variations include other herbs and spices. Read our pappa charu recipe here.
Image credit: JVRKPRASAD, CC BY-SA 4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
One of the Most Popular Indian Soups with Meat: Murgh Shorba
Many countries have their own variation of chicken soup, and the Indian chicken soup is murgh shorba. It contains many ingredients included in a chicken curry, such as onion, garlic, ginger, and other spices. However, it has a thinner consistency.
Image credit: Javier Lastras via Flickr https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Pachi Pulusu: A Spicy Indian Broth
A flavoursome Indian broth to try is pachi pulusu, a light Indian broth containing green chillies, tamarind, onions, and lots of coriander. There are also spices and seasonings in pachi pulusu, although these vary from one recipe to the next. The Indian soup originates from the state of Telangana. It is a summer dish that is usually served cold. Try our pachi pulusu recipe here.
Image credit: Randhirreddy at English Wikipedia, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
Palak: An Indian Spinach Soup
Spinach is one of the most widely used vegetables in Indian cuisine. So, unsurprisingly, there is an Indian spinach soup. Palak is a delicious soup of spinach, coconut cream, and spices, although recipes vary, so some soups are spicier than others. It often contains paneer. Try our palak soup recipe here.
Image credit: DreamyFlutura11, CC BY-SA 4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Other Soups Inspired by Indian Cuisine to Try
The flavours of India influence many other soups. For example, the flavours of Indian cuisine inspired our popular carrot and coriander recipe. Other examples include:
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