We are right in the middle of the winter season—a time when we are invited to slow down, settle in, and cozy up with all things warm and nourishing. Hopefully you have a fire stoked, snowflakes falling outside your window, and plenty of time to relax and enjoy your favorite wintertime activities.
Ayurveda recognizes the wintertime as a season that embodies kapha dosha. It tends to be a time when the earth and water elements accumulate, creating an environment that is heavy, damp, and cold. The qualities of kapha can be seen all around us in the natural world, and within our own bodies as well.
One of the best ways to balance kapha through the wintertime is to take care of your health with a mindful Ayurvedic diet and look after your agni, or digestive fire.
This asparagus soup is light enough for a simple nutritious meal and filled with warming spices that are great for kapha. And don't worry, those with plenty of vata and pitta can enjoy this soup too—the heat is wonderful for vata, and if pitta is going to eat warming spices, the winter is the time to do so!
You can never go wrong with a warm bowl of soup, especially if you're cozied up next to a fire. Enjoy the warmth. Enjoy the coziness. Enjoy the season!
A Look at the Ingredients
This simple but elegant soup combines the delicious benefits of green vegetables like asparagus and leeks with rice, mung beans, and warm, flavorful spices. The result is a truly satisfying bowl of goodness that will keep you warm and nourished from the inside out.
Asparagus is a beautiful, tridoshic vegetable with numerous dietary benefits. It helps nourish the entire digestive tract, and it is packed with antioxidants—perfect for this time of year when we want to keep our immune systems at their best.
Leeks are rich in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, and bring a stimulating energy to the recipe that is great for balancing kapha. Not to mention they are incredibly tasty, lending a delicious zing to the overall recipe without being overpowering.
Basmati rice and mung beans form a complete protein that is easy to digest and lends a filling and satisfying element to this soup.
The blend of warming spices brings just the warmth and stimulation that kapha needs. Fresh ginger, spicy-sweet cinnamon, anise, and cloves all help to kindle agni while creating an irresistible blend of flavors that will have you coming back for seconds.
Warmth-Infused Asparagus Soup Recipe
Ingredients:
- 1–1½ pounds asparagus, chopped into small pieces
- 4 cups vegetable stock
- 1 leek, including the green tops, chopped
- 5 stars of anise
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger
- 4 whole cloves
- 1 tablespoon ghee
- 5 tablespoons whole mung beans
- 1 tablespoon basmati rice
- Salt and cracked pepper to taste
Directions:
Soak the mung beans for 4–6 hours or overnight if possible. Drain and rinse.
Warm the ghee in a big stock pot. Add the anise, cinnamon, cloves, and ginger, and sauté for a minute or two. Once the aroma is released, add the leek and cook until soft.
Add the asparagus and sauté, coating it in the ghee and spices. Add the stock, mung beans, and rice. Increase the heat until it comes to a rolling boil, then turn down to medium-low and let simmer.
Cook for about 30 minutes, testing the mung beans for doneness (the cooking time will vary depending on how long the beans were soaked). When fully cooked, they should be soft but not mushy.
Using an immersion blender or an upright blender, mix everything together. Flavor with pepper and salt to taste, and it's ready to eat. Enjoy!
