Honestly for me, there’s nothing as comforting as getting to sip a glass of hot chocolate or a bowl of hot soup while cozying in my blanket during winter months. Slurrrrppppp!

Winter, though makes me super lazy, is my favorite season of the year. So for all the lazy bums like me, who only wish to drink

Sweet and sour pumpkin chaaru

This pumpkin soup will take you to the land of Andhra Pradesh. It has a perfect balance of spicy, sour, sweet and salty notes. Though it uses rasam powder, the soup is made with yellow pumpkin rather than lentils. Get Saffrontrail’s recipe of pumpkin chaaru here.

Tomato Saar

This sweet and tangy vegetarian soup from Maharashtra is made by tomatoes puree, which is then flavored with tamarind, cumin, mustard seeds, curry leaves, and peppercorns. Some people also use coconut milk to thicken the soup’s watery consistency. Tomato saar can be had by itself or with rice and is also good for clearing blocked noses and colds. Get the recipe for this Maharashtrian soup here.

Mulligatawny soup

A legacy of the British Raj, this Anglo-Indian soup originated in Madras and is a hybrid preparation that fuses two distinct culinary traditions. Although it has numerous variations, most include lentils, vegetables, coconut milk and spices such as bay leaf, cinnamon, and black pepper. Get the recipe from Vah Reh Vah here.

Ulava charu or horsegram lentil soup

This healthy traditional rasam-like soup from Andhra Pradesh is made with horse gram lentils or ulavalu, which are an excellent source of protein, calcium and iron. Just like rasam, charu too gets its tangy taste from tamarind, and aroma from curry leaves and mustard seeds. Get the recipe from Bethica’s Kitchen Flavours here.

Murungai keerai or drumstick leaves soup

For all those who are unaware let us tell you that drumstick leaves are rich in amino acids, vitamins, antioxidants and minerals such as calcium, iron, zinc and magnesium. While drumsticks are an integral part of South Indian cuisine, moringa leaves are often used in this traditional soup made with tomato, garlic and onion. Get the recipe from Padhus Kitchen here.

Kharode ka soup

Famously known as paya ka shorba, this Mughlai clear bone broth is made with goat or lamb trotters. It is slow-cooked by simmering meat and bone marrow for hours to release its nutrients such as amino acids and minerals such as calcium. The resulting broth has a rich flavour, and is considered especially nourishing during sickness and injury. Check out the Hyderabadi recipe for paya soup from Yummy Indian Kitchen here.

Kashmiri gosht yakhni shorba

The Persian term shorba encompasses soups made with tomato and coriander, chicken, dal and even yoghurt. This Kashmiri mutton broth is ideal for gloomy winter nights. The mutton is cooked in saffron and yoghurt with very mild spices, giving it a rich, satisfying taste. Check Whiskaffair’s recipe for Kashmiri gosht yakhni shorba here.

Bottle gourd soup

Lauki or ghiya is most people’s least favourite vegetable and I can’t agree more, but this recipe makes it a little more palatable by using it as a base for a moong dal soup. The bottle gourd itself is blended, and then sauted with garlic, cumin, onion and black pepper. Check Edible Garden’s recipe here.

Kaireeche saar or raw mango soup

Popular in the Konkan region of Maharashtra, kaireeche saar combines raw mango and jaggery, giving it a delicious sweet-and-sour taste. It can be also be made with coconut milk, and had as an appetiser or with steamed rice. Find out how you can make it from Amu’s Recipes here.

Punarpuli saru or kokum rasam

This refreshing wine-colored soup from coastal Karnataka is also called kokum rasam, though it is made without lentils. It balances the tartness of the kokum fruit with jaggery. Get the recipe from Cook With A Smile here.

Stay calm and drink SOUP!!!

This post first appeared at Huffington Post