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Food

5 Winter Recipes For That Cosy Comfort This Season

Hearty bowls, nostalgic flavours and nourishing winter staples from chefs and home cooks we love.

| Vaishnavi Rana
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Winter calls for the kind of food that comforts the soul when it reaches the stomach. The season brings its own rhythm to the kitchen: long-simmered pots, earthy greens, slow-cooked grains and plenty of ghee as the rightful crown. From sarson da saag bubbling gently on the stove to the aroma of roasted besan and ginger drifting through the house, winter cuisine in India feels both grounding and celebratory. We rounded up five winter recipes that embody this comfort, chef favourites and home-kitchen heroes that make the cold weather worth looking forward to.  

1. Bajra Khichdi By Chef Ranveer Brar

Ingredients

  • 2-3 heaped tbsp Ghee,
  • 2 cups Bajra (soaked overnight)
  • ½ cup Moongdal (washed)
  • ½ cup Chana dal (washed)
  • 1 no. Green chilli (less spicy & roughly torn)
  • Water as required

For Ginger Garlic Paste

  • 4-5 no. Garlic cloves
  • 1 inch Ginger (peeled & sliced)
  • 2 no. Green chillies (less spicy & roughly chopped)

For Curd Mixture

  • 2 cups Curd (beaten)
  • ½ tbsp Prepared ginger garlic paste
  • 2 tbsp Bajra flour
  • Salt to taste
  • 2-3 cups Water

For Kadhi

  • 1-2 tbsp Ghee
  • Prepared curd mixture
  • For Bajra Khichdi
  • 1 tbsp Oil
  • 1 tbsp Ghee
  • 1 tsp Cumin seeds
  • Prepared ginger, garlic, and green chilli paste
  • 2 medium Onions (roughly chopped)
  • 2 medium Carrots (peeled & cut into small dice)
  • Salt to taste

Cooked Bajra & Dals

  • 1 fresh green pea
  • Salt to taste
  • 2 tbsp Ghee

For Garnish

  • Ghee, Coriander sprig

Method

Step 1

In a pressure cooker, add ghee. Once it's hot, add soaked bajra, moong dal, chana dal, salt to taste, green chilli, water as required and mix it well.

Step 2

Cover it with a lid and cook it for 10-12 whistles until cooked well.

Step 3

In a mortar pestle, add garlic, ginger, green chillies and grind them into a coarse paste.

Step 4

In a bowl, add curd, prepared ginger garlic paste, bajra flour, salt to taste, water and give it a good mix.

Step 5

In a kadai or handi, add ghee. Once it's hot, add the prepared curd mixture and simmer it for 20-25 minutes on medium flame.

Step 6

In a handi, add oil, ghee, once it's hot, add cumin seeds, prepared ginger garlic green chilli paste and saute it for a minute.

Step 7

Add onions, carrots, and salt to taste and let it cook until onions are golden in colour.

Step 8

Add cooked bajra & dals, fresh green peas, salt to taste and give it a good mix.

Step 9

Cover it with a lid and let it cook for 10-12 minutes on low to medium flames.

Step 10

Finish it with ghee and mix it well.

2. Sarson Da Saag And Makke Di Roti By Aishwarya Sonvane

Ingredients

Sarson da Saag

  • 1 bunch mustard leaves (sarson)
  • 1 bunch spinach (palak)
  • A handful of methi leaves
  • Optional: bathua leaves
  • 2 tbsp ginger paste
  • 2 tbsp garlic paste
  • 1–2 green chillies (or green chilli paste)
  • 1 cup hot water
  • 3–4 tbsp makki ka atta (cornmeal)
  • 1 tsp haldi
  • 1 tbsp coriander powder

For the Tadka

  • Ghee (a generous amount)
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds
  • 2 tbsp chopped garlic
  • 4–5 dried red chillies

For Makki ki Roti

  • Makki ka atta (cornmeal) – as needed for rotis
  • Hot water (for kneading)

Method

Step 1

Thoroughly wash and chop 1 bunch of mustard leaves/sarson, 1 bunch of palak, some methi leaves, and optional bathua leaves.

Step 2

In a pot, add all the chopped leaves, 2 tbsp ginger, garlic, green chilli paste, and 1 cup hot water. Let it cook for 30–40 minutes.

Step 3

With a wooden masher, mash all the cooked leaves nicely.

Step 4

Mix 3–4 tbsp makki ka atta with some water and add this slurry to the saag.

Step 5

Add 1 tsp haldi and 1 tbsp coriander powder.

Step 6

Mix and cook for another 10–12 minutes.

Step 7

For the tadka, heat a lot of ghee. Add cumin seeds, 2 tbsp chopped garlic, and 4–5 red chillies. Pour the tadka over the saag.

Step 8

For the makki ki roti, knead the dough using hot water.

3. Broccoli Almond Soup By Ravika Thorat

Ingredients

  • Broccoli - 1 medium head, chopped
  • Almonds - 10-12, soaked & peeled
  • Onion - 1 small, chopped
  • Garlic - 2-3 cloves, minced
  • Salt - to taste
  • Chilli flakes - 1/2 tsp
  • Black pepper powder - 1/4 tsp
  • Olive oil - 1 tbsp
  • Water/Stock - 2 cups

Method

Step 1

Boil 2 cups of water in a pot. Add chopped broccoli, soaked almonds, onion and salt. Cook until tender.

Step 2

Allow the mixture to cool slightly, then blend it into a smooth purée.

Step 3

Heat olive oil in a pan, sauté minced garlic and add the blended purée.

Step 4

Season with chilli flakes and black pepper. Simmer for 2–3 minutes.

Step 5

Serve hot and enjoy your cosy winter soup.

4. Carrot Pickle By Keertida Phadke

Ingredients

For the Methi and Tempering

  • 1/2 tsp groundnut oil
  • 1/2 tsp methi (fenugreek) seeds
  • 1 tbsp oil (for tempering)
  • 1/4 tsp mustard seeds
  • A pinch of heeng
  • Scant 1/4 tsp turmeric powder

For the Carrot Mixture

  • 2 cups red carrots, peeled and cut into matchsticks
  • 1/2 tsp red chilli powder (or more to taste)
  • 3/4 tsp coriander powder
  • Salt, to taste
  • Ground methi seeds (from above)
  • Juice of 1/2 a lime

Method

Step 1

In a small kadhai or tadka spoon, heat 1/2 tsp groundnut oil. Add 1/2 tsp methi (fenugreek) seeds and fry them lightly.

Step 2

Transfer the fried methi seeds to a mortar and pestle, grind them and set aside.

Step 3

In the same tadka spoon, heat 1 tbsp oil. Add 1/4 tsp mustard seeds, a pinch of heeng and a scant 1/4 tsp turmeric powder to temper.

Step 4

Set the tempering aside to cool.

Step 5

In a large bowl, combine 2 cups red carrots (peeled and cut into matchsticks), 1/2 tsp red chilli powder or more to taste, 3/4 tsp coriander powder, salt to taste, the ground methi seeds and the juice of half a lime.

Step 6

Mix everything well. Add the cooled tempering and mix again. Taste and adjust salt, lime juice or red chilli powder as needed.

Step 7

Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate.

5. Methi Matar Malai By Sneha Singhi

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp oil
  • 1–2 bay leaves
  • 1 tbsp jeera
  • 2 tbsp coarsely ground ginger, garlic and green chilli
  • 2 tbsp besan
  • 1 onion, boiled and puréed
  • 1/4 cup cashews, boiled and puréed
  • 1 bundle methi leaves
  • 1/2 cup peas
  • 1–1.5 cups water
  • Salt, to taste
  • 1 tbsp sugar
  • 1 tsp garam masala
  • 4–5 tbsp cream or malai
  • 1 tbsp butter

Method

Step 1

Boil the onion and cashews together in 1–1.5 cups of water. Blitz to a smooth purée and set aside.

Step 2

Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan. Add the bay leaves, jeera and the coarsely ground ginger–garlic–green chilli mix.

Step 3

Add the besan and roast for 3–4 minutes until fragrant.

Step 4

Add the boiled onion–cashew paste and cook for 1 minute.

Step 5

Add the methi leaves and allow them to soften.

Step 6

Add the peas and water. Mix well and bring to a boil.

Step 7

Season with salt, sugar and garam masala.

Step 8

Add the cream, turn off the flame and gently mix.

Step 9

Garnish with a dollop of butter and a little extra cream. Serve hot with roti.

Whether it’s the rustic simplicity of bajra khichdi, the ritual of slow-stirring saag, the subtle sweetness of methi paired with cream, or even the brightness of a quick carrot pickle to balance the heaviness of the season, each dish brings its own kind of warmth. So pull out your heavy-bottomed pots, let the flavours build slowly and settle in. Winter is the perfect excuse to cook like you mean it.

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