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7 min
27/11/2025
Evenings are when the temperatures sink, and hunger pangs rise. Whether you're curling up after a long day or seeking warmth on a chilly, rainy evening, these comforting Indian classics offer the perfect solution. From traditional South Indian rasam to the hearty Tibetan thukpa, each recipe brings its own unique flavours and healing properties to your dinner table.
Winter evenings call for indulgence, and there's no better way to embrace the season than with a steaming bowl of something rich, spicy, and downright comforting. From classics like chicken noodle soup to flavourful shorba, you do not need anything extra for these dishes. You can slurp, chew and drink these up to the very last bit, as it will warm your body up and also your soul.
Associated more with lunch and dinner, rasam, poured over a bed of steaming white rice, is perfect for winter evenings. Rasam is known for its tangy, spicy flavours and healing properties, often as good as the comforting nature of chicken soup. This light, peppery broth has been a staple in South Indian households for generations. The spiciness also makes it particularly popular as a home remedy for sore throats and colds during winter, with the spices providing both flavour and medicinal benefits.
Originally developed during British colonial rule, locals created a heartier version of ‘pepper water’ (as the name means) to accommodate British tastes. The soup is typically made with red lentils, carrots, apples, and coconut milk, spiced with curry powder, ginger and garlic. You get a spicy yet mellow dish that is wholesome enough to be enjoyed on its own.
This iconic street food originated in the 1850s as a quick lunch for textile mill workers who needed something fast, filling, and delicious. It is not technically a winter speciality, but it does surge in popularity during winter, given that it is best enjoyed hot. This spicy vegetable mash (potatoes, cauliflower, peas, bell peppers, and carrots) served with butter-toasted bread rolls is the ultimate comfort food for rainy evenings. The generous use of butter is what gives pav bhaji its signature rich, indulgent flavour.
A popular Indo-Chinese soup, manchow is different from the milder soups as it is loaded with vegetables and features thick broth, which may or may not have meat in it. Along with the soup, crispy fried noodles are served that are dunked in the soup and eaten. The soup is made with mixed vegetables, along with garlic, ginger, soy sauce, and ground pepper, which makes for an umami-tasting dish.
This Tibetan noodle soup is a soul-soothing saviour from harsh cold weather when one is cosied up during chilly nights. The word thukpa is a generic Tibetan term for any soup or stew combined with noodles, and it has become incredibly popular across northeastern India and beyond. The dish was brought to India by the Dalai Lama in 1959, when his mother first served it to refugees. Thukpa uses ginger, garlic, spices, coriander, lemon juice, vegetables, and soy sauce in a delicious and comforting broth with various meats and noodles.
Gahat, also known as kulthi or horse gram, is widely known for its curative properties of treating gall bladder stones, kidney stones, and maintaining renal health. This nutritious soup from Uttarakhand is a popular recipe during winter as it can warm you up quickly. The soup is prepared by soaking gahat overnight, boiling it with spices and then adding a tempering to the strained water and mixing it all. Some cooks like to use the boiled horsegram by pureeing it into a paste for a thicker soup.
Another popular Indo-Chinese dish made with tender corn kernels, vegetables, spices, and herbs, sweet corn soup is quite simple to make. It is also comforting and can be prepared in under 25 minutes. You can turn it into an egg drop soup by adding a whisked egg or two when the soup is simmering in the end. Eat it with toasted bread or breadsticks for a wholesome appetiser before your supper or dinner. The soup is characterised by being warm, sweet, and spicy with a hint of pepper and garlic, making it the most common soup order at any restaurant in India.
These are traditional Nepali cuisine dumplings served with spicy sesame and tomato-based soup, popularly known as jhol achar, most commonly served during the winter or rainy season. The soupy bit is made from chillies, tomatoes, garlic, sesame, and spices that the dumplings are served in. The dumplings are typically filled with spiced meat or vegetables, then ladled into a bowl and covered with the hot broth.
Shorba refers to a clear, spiced stock made by simmering vegetables, meat, or chicken for a long period. This makes it perfect for cold evenings, and there are varieties like the popular chicken shorba, to the mutton yakhni shorba. The latter uses tender mutton (bone-in meat) cooked in a broth flavoured with whole spices like cinnamon, cardamom, and cloves, along with ginger-garlic paste. During Ramadan, shorba is especially popular for iftar as it provides nourishment and hydration after a day of fasting.
Popularised by social media and adopted by Indians as their own, chicken noodle soup is the ultimate comfort food. It’s made with tender chicken, fresh vegetables, fresh noodles and delicious broth that tastes like it's been cooking for hours but comes together in under 40 minutes. It is the perfect remedy for cold weather and illness. The key to exceptional chicken noodle soup is using quality broth and cooking the noodles just until tender, preventing them from becoming mushy.
Each of these dishes brings warmth, nourishment, and the kind of soul-satisfying comfort that makes rainy evenings special. Whether you're fighting off a cold, craving something hearty, or simply wanting to cosy up with a delicious meal, these dishes deliver both flavour and comfort in every spoonful.