Chef Sanjeev Kapoor shares hearty non-veg soups for winter comfort

The winter months are incomplete without the comfort of soups. And if you are a non-vegetarian then you can relate to the warmth non-veg soups offer during winter nights. And most importantly, they are easy to make, filling, and highly nutritious. So, if your winter evenings call for bold flavours, slow-simmered broth and bowls that feel like a full meal in themselves, celebrity chef Sanjeev Kapoor has recently shared his favourite non-veg soups that you can also try at home. Scroll down to read the recipes.

Ingredients: 500 gms chicken bones, 150 gms boneless chicken, 10 garlic cloves, 1 tsp butter, 1 tbsp oil, ½ tsp cumin seeds, 1½ tbsps refined flour, white pepper powder to taste, salt to taste, and fresh coriander leaves
Method: Put the chicken bones in a deep non-stick pan, add 6 cups water and garlic and mix well. Cook till the water is reduced to 4 cups. Strain and reserve the stock. Heat butter in a shallow non-stick pan, add chicken cubes and sauté till they are almost done. Heat oil in another deep non-stick pan, add cumin seeds. When they begin to change colour, add refined flour and sauté for 1 minute, stirring continuously. Add reserved chicken stock, chicken pieces, white pepper powder and salt. Simmer and serve hot with coriander leaves on top.

Ingredients: 150 grams boneless chicken breast, boiled and shredded, 1½ tbsps oil, 2 spring onion bulbs, 1 tsp ginger, 1½ tsp garlic, 1-2 green chillies, 1 small carrot, 1 small capsicum, ¼ cup finely chopped cabbage, salt to taste, crushed black peppercorns to taste, 1½ tbsps soy sauce, 1 tbsp red chilli sauce, 2 cups chicken stock, 5 tbsps corn flour slurry, 1 egg, 2 tbsps spring onion greens, ½ tsp vinegar, spring onion greens for garnish, and fried noodles

Method: Heat oil in a non-stick wok, add spring onion, ginger and garlic and green chillies. Sauté for 1 minute. Add carrot, capsicum, cabbage and sauté for 1-2 minutes. Add salt, crushed black peppercorns and soy sauce, red chilli sauce, and mix well. Cook for 1 minute. Add shredded chicken and toss for 30 seconds. Add chicken stock and 1 cup water. Let the mixture come to a boil. Add corn flour slurry and mix well. Cook till the soup thickens slightly. Add beaten egg into the soup while constantly mixing. Add sliced spring onion greens and mix well. Add vinegar, mix and serve hot with fried noodles.

Ingredient: 4 crabs, 1 tbsp butter, 4-5 peppercorns, 2 bay leaves, ½ inch cinnamon stick, 1 medium onion, 1 medium tomato, salt to taste, 1 tbsp garlic, 1 tsp ginger, and ¼ tsp turmeric powder
Method: Heat butter in a non-stick pan, add peppercorns, bay leaves, cinnamon stick, onion and mix. Add tomatoes, salt and cook for 3-4 minutes. Add crabs and sauté for 2-3 minutes. Add garlic, ginger, turmeric powder and mix well. Add 5 cups of water and cook on low heat for 10 to 15 minutes. Remove the crab pieces and strain the soup. Place the crab pieces in a serving bowl and pour the strained soup over it and serve hot.

Ingredients: 12-16 lamb trotters (paya), ¾ cup onion paste, 1 tbsp ginger, 1 tbsp garlic, 4 green cardamoms, 1 inch cinnamon stick, 5-6 cloves, salt to taste, ¼ tsp turmeric powder, 2 tbsp ghee, 2 medium onions, 1 tsp red chilli powder, 1 tsp crushed black peppercorns, 1 tsp garam masala powder, 2 tbsp coriander leaves, and 1 tbsp lemon juice
Method: Heat a pressure cooker and add lamb trotters, onion paste, ginger, garlic, cardamoms, cinnamon, cloves, salt, turmeric powder and 1 litre water and stir well. Cover and pressure cook till the pressure is released 4-5 times. Heat ghee in a non-stick pan. Add onions and sauté until translucent. Add chilli powder and crushed peppercorns and mix well. Add this to the cooker and simmer for 15 minutes. Strain the soup into another non-stick pan on heat. Add lamb trotters, garam masala powder and coriander leaves, mix and boil. Add lemon juice, mix, and serve hot.

Ingredients: 250 grams chicken mince, 3 cups chicken stock, 1 tablespoon finely chopped leek, 1 inch celery, 1 medium onion, 1 tablespoon chopped garlic, 1 small carrot, salt to taste, 1 teaspoon oil, 1-2 red chillies, 100 grams rice vermicelli, 3-4 spinach leaves, and juice of 1 lemon
Method: To prepare meatballs, mix together chicken mince, leek, celery, onion, garlic, carrot and salt in a bowl. Divide the chicken mixture into small equal portions and shape into balls. Heat oil in a deep non-stick pan. Add red chillies and sauté for 30 seconds. Add chicken stock, cover and bring the mixture to boil. Add salt and rice vermicelli, cover and cook for 3 minutes. Add meatballs and mix. Add spinach leaves, mix, cover and cook for 2-3 minutes. Switch off the heat, add lemon juice and serve hot.

Ingredients: 1 cup medium prawns, 1½ cups boiled noodles, 2 cups seafood stock, 1 inch ginger, salt to taste, 2-3 bok choy leaves, ½ cup shredded Chinese cabbage, crushed black peppercorns to taste, ¼ small broccoli, 2 boiled eggs, ½ nori sheet, red chilli oil, and fried garlic for garnishing
Method: Heat seafood stock in a non-stick wok and bring to a boil. Add ginger strips, prawns, salt, bok choy and Chinese cabbage, mix and cook for 2 minutes. Add crushed peppercorns and mix well. Add broccoli florets, mix and cook for 1-2 minutes. Put some noodles in individual serving bowls and pour some soup on top.Cut egg into thin roundels and place on top of noodles. Heat the nori sheets directly on the flames for 10 seconds, flipping both sides. Finely chop using a pair of scissors on top of the soup. Drizzle some chilli oil, garnish with some spring onion bulbs, spring onion greens and some fried garlic and serve hot.

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