2. Broths & Soups
In East Asia soup is drunk through the meal, not just at its start — and is usually a clear, light broth. The Buddhist temple kitchens of Japan, China and Korea perfected flavourful stocks without meat, onion or garlic, using kombu, ginger, daikon and dried vegetables: a gift to the sattvic cook.
2.01 Kombu Dashi (Temple Stock)
Soup · Japanese · Inspired by Shōjin dashi · Serves 8 · 250 ml · Soak 3 h or overnight · 10 min
Texture: Liquid · Dosha: Pitta–Vata · Best season: All year
| Ingredient | Household measure | Quantity |
|---|---|---|
| Kombu (dried kelp) | a 10×10 cm piece | 15 g |
| Water | 8⅓ cups | 2000 ml |
| Ginger, fresh | 2 slices (optional) | 5 g |
- Wipe kombu with a damp cloth (do not wash off the white powder — it is flavour).
- Soak in cold water at least 3 hours, ideally overnight in the refrigerator.
- Heat slowly; remove kombu just before the water boils (boiling makes it slimy and bitter).
- Use as the base for miso soup, noodle broths and simmered dishes. Keeps 3 days refrigerated.
Per serving (est.): 3 kcal · protein 0.1 g · fat 0 g · carbs 1.2 g · fibre 0.6 g · salt 0 g
Care notes for 55+ guests: Natural umami lets you use less salt in every dish.
Ayurvedic note: Light, salty-sweet and cooling; supplies minerals including iodine (use in moderation).
Ayurvedic adaptations: Bonito (fish) dashi → kombu dashi; mushroom-free (shiitake usually added)
Variations & further ideas: Kombu–daikon dashi · Kombu–dried-vegetable dashi · Roasted-soybean dashi · Ginger–corn-cob stock
2.02 Miso Soup with Tofu & Wakame
Soup · Japanese · Inspired by Misoshiru · Serves 4 · 1 bowl (200 ml) · 10 min
Texture: Liquid with soft pieces · Dosha: Vata–Pitta · Best season: All year
| Ingredient | Household measure | Quantity |
|---|---|---|
| Vegetable stock (no onion–garlic, home-made) | 3⅓ cups kombu dashi | 800 ml |
| Miso (white or barley) | 2½ tbsp white or mixed miso | 40 g |
| Tofu, silken | ½ block, cubed | 150 g |
| Wakame (rehydrated) | 1 tbsp dried, soaked | 3 g |
| Fresh herbs (rosemary, thyme, sage, basil, parsley, oregano, dill, tarragon) | mitsuba or coriander | 3 g |
| Ginger, fresh | grated | 3 g |
- Heat dashi to a simmer; add tofu and wakame 2 minutes.
- Turn heat to very low; dissolve miso in a ladle of broth and stir back in.
- Do not boil after adding miso (preserves aroma and live cultures).
- Garnish with herbs and a little ginger.
Per serving (est.): 52 kcal · protein 3.5 g · fat 1.6 g · carbs 5.9 g · fibre 0.6 g · salt 1.2 g
Care notes for 55+ guests: ≈ 1.3 g salt per bowl — one bowl a day is plenty; use reduced-salt miso.
Ayurvedic note: Fermented, salty and warm; balancing for Vata; moderate for Pitta and Kapha.
Ayurvedic adaptations: Spring onion → mitsuba, coriander or ginger
Variations & further ideas: Miso with daikon · Miso with spinach · Miso with pumpkin · Red miso with tofu (winter)
2.03 Winter Melon Soup with Ginger (Dong Gua Tang)
Soup · Chinese · Inspired by Cantonese winter melon soup · Serves 4 · 1 bowl · 40 min
Texture: Very soft · Dosha: Pitta-pacifying · Best season: Pitta season (summer)
| Ingredient | Household measure | Quantity |
|---|---|---|
| Ash gourd (petha) | winter melon, peeled & cubed | 600 g |
| Vegetable stock (no onion–garlic, home-made) | 4 cups | 1000 ml |
| Ginger, fresh | 5 slices | 10 g |
| Goji berries (dried) | 1 tbsp | 10 g |
| Sweet corn kernels | ⅔ cup kernels | 100 g |
| Rock salt (sendha namak) | ½ tsp | 3 g |
| Sesame (til) oil | few drops | 3 g |
| Coriander leaves | chopped | 5 g |
- Simmer winter melon, ginger and corn in stock 25 minutes until translucent.
- Add goji for 5 minutes; season.
- Finish with sesame oil and coriander.
Per serving (est.): 71 kcal · protein 2.3 g · fat 1.4 g · carbs 14.2 g · fibre 5.4 g · salt 0.8 g
Care notes for 55+ guests: Melts in the mouth; very hydrating.
Ayurvedic note: Winter melon (ash gourd, kushmanda) is prized in both Ayurveda and Chinese medicine for cooling.
Ayurvedic adaptations: Dried scallop and pork → corn and goji
Variations & further ideas: Ash gourd soup (Vol. II) · Bottle-gourd soup · Winter melon with tofu · Winter melon with barley
2.04 Lotus Root & Peanut Soup
Soup · Chinese · Inspired by Lin ngau tong · Serves 6 · 1 bowl · Soak 3 h · 2 h
Texture: Soft · Dosha: Vata–Pitta · Best season: Vata season (autumn – early winter)
| Ingredient | Household measure | Quantity |
|---|---|---|
| Lotus root | 2 sections, sliced | 500 g |
| Peanuts | ⅔ cup raw, soaked | 100 g |
| Red dates / jujube (dried) | 6 red dates | 30 g |
| Carrot | 1 | 150 g |
| Ginger, fresh | 4 slices | 10 g |
| Water | 8⅓ cups | 2000 ml |
| Rock salt (sendha namak) | ¾ tsp | 4 g |
- Combine all except salt; bring to a boil; skim.
- Simmer covered on low 1½–2 hours until peanuts are soft and the broth faintly pink.
- Season.
Per serving (est.): 182 kcal · protein 6.9 g · fat 8.4 g · carbs 23.2 g · fibre 6.5 g · salt 0.7 g
Care notes for 55+ guests: Long simmering makes peanuts tender; serve broth to those who cannot chew.
Ayurvedic note: Lotus root is cooling and nourishing; peanuts add warmth and fat.
Ayurvedic adaptations: Pork ribs → peanuts and red dates
Variations & further ideas: Lotus root & adzuki soup · Lotus & carrot soup · Peanut–corn soup · Lotus soup with goji
2.05 Kenchin-jiru (Temple Root-Vegetable Soup)
Soup · Japanese · Inspired by Kenchō-ji temple soup, Kamakura · Serves 6 · 1 bowl · 40 min
Texture: Soft · Dosha: Vata–Kapha · Best season: Vata season (autumn – early winter)
| Ingredient | Household measure | Quantity |
|---|---|---|
| Tofu, firm | firm, crumbled by hand | 200 g |
| Radish (mooli) | daikon, quarter-moons | 200 g |
| Carrot | 1, half-moons | 150 g |
| Burdock root (gobo) | gobo, shaved | 80 g |
| Colocasia (arbi) | taro, cubed | 150 g |
| Sesame (til) oil | 1 tbsp | 15 g |
| Vegetable stock (no onion–garlic, home-made) | 5 cups kombu dashi | 1200 ml |
| Soy sauce / tamari (gluten-free) | 1½ tbsp | 25 ml |
| Ginger, fresh | grated | 5 g |
| Rock salt (sendha namak) | pinch | 1 g |
- Sauté vegetables in sesame oil 4 minutes (the temple technique that gives depth).
- Add crumbled tofu; sauté 2 minutes.
- Add dashi; simmer 20 minutes until all is tender.
- Season with soy and ginger.
Per serving (est.): 136 kcal · protein 7 g · fat 5.6 g · carbs 15.6 g · fibre 3.5 g · salt 0.8 g
Care notes for 55+ guests: Hearty and soft; cut vegetables thin.
Ayurvedic note: Root vegetables sautéed in oil then simmered — perfect for Vata season.
Ayurvedic adaptations: Konnyaku and shiitake (often used) → taro and burdock
Variations & further ideas: Miso kenchin · Kenchin udon · Root-vegetable miso soup · Kenchin with pumpkin
2.06 Thai Coconut–Galangal Soup with Tofu (Tom Kha Tao Hu)
Soup · Thai · Inspired by Tom kha · Serves 4 · 1 bowl · 30 min
Texture: Liquid with soft pieces · Dosha: Vata-pacifying · Best season: Vata season (autumn – early winter), All year
| Ingredient | Household measure | Quantity |
|---|---|---|
| Coconut milk, thin | 1⅔ cups | 400 ml |
| Vegetable stock (no onion–garlic, home-made) | 2 cups | 500 ml |
| Galangal (fresh) | 8 thin slices | 20 g |
| Lemongrass | 2 stalks, bruised | 20 g |
| Kaffir lime leaves / pandan leaf | 4 leaves, torn | 2 g |
| Tofu, firm | firm, cubed | 200 g |
| Zucchini / tori | or baby corn | 150 g |
| Tomato | 1 small (optional) | 80 g |
| Soy sauce / tamari (gluten-free) | 1 tbsp | 15 ml |
| Jaggery (gur) | 1 tsp | 5 g |
| Lemon juice | 4 tsp lime juice | 20 ml |
| Coriander leaves | chopped | 5 g |
| Green chilli (optional, deseeded) | ½, slit (optional) | 2 g |
- Simmer stock with galangal, lemongrass and lime leaves 10 minutes.
- Add coconut milk, tofu and vegetables; simmer 8 minutes (do not boil hard).
- Season with soy, jaggery and lime off heat.
- Garnish with coriander. Galangal and lemongrass pieces are not eaten.
Per serving (est.): 222 kcal · protein 10.5 g · fat 16.6 g · carbs 10.2 g · fibre 2.6 g · salt 0.5 g
Care notes for 55+ guests: Remove the woody aromatics before serving to frail guests.
Ayurvedic note: Coconut cools; galangal and lemongrass warm and aid digestion — balanced.
Ayurvedic adaptations: Fish sauce → soy sauce + pinch of jaggery · Mushrooms → zucchini or baby corn
Variations & further ideas: Tom kha with pumpkin · Coconut–lemongrass rasam · Clear tom yum (mild) · Coconut–ginger soup with rice
2.07 Korean Soybean-Paste Soup with Spinach (Sigeumchi Doenjang-guk)
Soup · Korean · Inspired by Doenjang-guk · Serves 4 · 1 bowl · 20 min
Texture: Soft · Dosha: Vata–Kapha · Best season: Vata season (autumn – early winter), Kapha season (late winter – spring)
| Ingredient | Household measure | Quantity |
|---|---|---|
| Vegetable stock (no onion–garlic, home-made) | 4 cups kombu stock | 1000 ml |
| Miso (white or barley) | 2½ tbsp doenjang or brown miso | 40 g |
| Spinach (palak) | 1 bunch, cut | 200 g |
| Tofu, firm | cubed | 150 g |
| Radish (mooli) | thin squares | 100 g |
| Ginger, fresh | grated | 3 g |
| Kashmiri chilli powder (mild) | pinch mild gochugaru (optional) | 0.3 g |
- Simmer radish in stock 8 minutes.
- Dissolve doenjang in broth; add tofu; simmer 3 minutes.
- Add spinach; cook 1 minute; season with ginger.
Per serving (est.): 103 kcal · protein 9.3 g · fat 4.1 g · carbs 9 g · fibre 2.9 g · salt 1.2 g
Care notes for 55+ guests: ≈ 1.2 g salt per bowl; dilute with more stock if needed.
Ayurvedic note: Warming fermented bean paste with leafy greens — good in cold weather.
Ayurvedic adaptations: Anchovy stock → kombu stock · Garlic and green onion → ginger
Variations & further ideas: Doenjang with zucchini · Doenjang with cabbage · Bean-sprout soup (kongnamul-guk) · Seaweed soup (miyeok-guk)
2.08 Sweet Corn & Silken Tofu Soup
Soup · Chinese · Inspired by Sweet-corn egg-drop soup (egg-free) · Serves 4 · 1 bowl · 20 min
Texture: Smooth, thick · Dosha: Vata–Pitta · Best season: Pitta season (summer), All year
| Ingredient | Household measure | Quantity |
|---|---|---|
| Sweet corn kernels | 2 cups (half blended) | 300 g |
| Vegetable stock (no onion–garlic, home-made) | 3¾ cups | 900 ml |
| Tofu, silken | ⅔ block, mashed | 200 g |
| Ginger, fresh | 1 tsp grated | 5 g |
| Cornflour (cornstarch) | 1½ tbsp, slaked in 3 tbsp water | 15 g |
| Rock salt (sendha namak) | ½ tsp | 3 g |
| Black pepper | white pepper | 0.5 g |
| Sesame (til) oil | few drops | 3 g |
| Coriander leaves | chopped | 5 g |
- Simmer corn (half blended) and ginger in stock 10 minutes.
- Stir in slaked starch; cook until glossy.
- Stir in mashed silken tofu in ribbons (replacing egg).
- Season; finish with sesame oil, pepper and coriander.
Per serving (est.): 126 kcal · protein 5.4 g · fat 3.2 g · carbs 21.7 g · fibre 2.2 g · salt 0.8 g
Care notes for 55+ guests: Thickened soups are easier for those with mild swallowing difficulty.
Ayurvedic note: Sweet corn and tofu soothe Pitta; ginger keeps it digestible.
Ayurvedic adaptations: Egg ribbons → silken tofu
Variations & further ideas: Corn–pumpkin soup · Corn–spinach soup · Hot-and-sour soup (mild, mushroom-free) · Corn chowder (Vol. IV)
2.09 Clear Daikon & Carrot Soup
Soup · Chinese · Inspired by Lo bak tong · Serves 4 · 1 bowl · 35 min
Texture: Soft · Dosha: Kapha-pacifying · Best season: Kapha season (late winter – spring)
| Ingredient | Household measure | Quantity |
|---|---|---|
| Radish (mooli) | daikon, chunks | 400 g |
| Carrot | 2 | 200 g |
| Vegetable stock (no onion–garlic, home-made) | 5 cups | 1200 ml |
| Ginger, fresh | 5 slices | 10 g |
| Black pepper | ¼ tsp white | 0.5 g |
| Rock salt (sendha namak) | ½ tsp | 3 g |
| Coriander leaves | chopped | 5 g |
- Simmer daikon, carrot and ginger in stock 25 minutes until daikon is translucent.
- Season with pepper and salt; garnish.
Per serving (est.): 54 kcal · protein 1.8 g · fat 0.2 g · carbs 11.8 g · fibre 3.1 g · salt 0.8 g
Care notes for 55+ guests: Long-cooked daikon is soft and sweet.
Ayurvedic note: Cooked radish is light and pungent — Kapha-clearing; carrot balances.
Ayurvedic adaptations: Pork bones → kombu stock and ginger
Variations & further ideas: Daikon with tofu · Daikon miso soup · Radish–moong soup · Turnip soup
2.10 Mild Bhutanese Potato & Cheese Stew (Kewa Datshi, Gentle)
Soup · Himalayan · Inspired by Kewa datshi · Serves 4 · ≈200 g · 30 min
Texture: Soft, creamy · Dosha: Vata-pacifying · Best season: Vata season (autumn – early winter)
| Ingredient | Household measure | Quantity |
|---|---|---|
| Potato | 3, sliced | 400 g |
| Water | 1⅔ cups | 400 ml |
| Ghee (cow) | 2 tsp | 10 g |
| Tomato | 1 small | 80 g |
| Capsicum | mild green pepper | 80 g |
| Green chilli (optional, deseeded) | 1, slit (optional, traditional is many) | 3 g |
| Paneer (cow's milk) | crumbled | 80 g |
| Cottage cheese | ⅓ cup (in place of datshi cheese) | 80 g |
| Rock salt (sendha namak) | ½ tsp | 3 g |
| Coriander leaves | chopped | 5 g |
- Simmer potato, ghee, tomato, capsicum and chilli in water 15 minutes.
- Add crumbled paneer and cottage cheese; stir gently until a creamy sauce forms (5 minutes).
- Season; garnish with coriander; serve with red rice.
Per serving (est.): 180 kcal · protein 8.3 g · fat 7.7 g · carbs 19.7 g · fibre 2.8 g · salt 1 g
Care notes for 55+ guests: A very mild version of Bhutan's national stew; remove chilli before serving.
Ayurvedic note: The original is very hot; this gentle version keeps the creamy comfort for Vata.
Ayurvedic adaptations: Onion, garlic and many chillies → mild pepper and one optional chilli
Variations & further ideas: Ema datshi (mild with peppers) · Spinach datshi · Pumpkin datshi · Bean datshi