Winter Warmers

Winter changes the way people eat, and the produce of this season naturally provides warmth, strengthens immunity, and keeps energy levels steady. Every Asian culture has its own winter traditions. In China, ginger is used to ‘warm the body’ during cold months, and in Korea, the same idea appears in spicy stews like kimchi jjigae.

“In many parts of Southeast Asia, people sip hot teas infused with pandan, lemongrass, or galangal to help balance the body in cooler weather. Even steaming, a technique we use constantly for dim sum, is considered a winter practice in many regions because it preserves moisture and warmth. It’s incredible how deeply winter shapes the rhythm of Asian food,” explains Pema Takchung Lepcha, Chef and Director, Hunaaan.

In Pan-Asian cooking, winter is when slow broths, steamed dishes, and richer aromatics really shine. Food becomes grounding in this weather. A hot bowl of noodles, a dumpling straight out of the steamer, a broth layered with ginger and pepper – these aren’t just dishes; they’re moments of relief.

Winter food is essential for ecological balance, agricultural productivity, cultural traditions and human wellbeing. The ingredients in this season behave differently as the spices open up beautifully, and people come in looking for comfort. That gives chefs room to be a little more generous with heat, texture, and warmth. Sunil Kumar Panduranga Raj, Executive Sous Chef, Sheraton Grand Bangalore Hotel at Brigade Gateway, says, “As we enter the winter season, we feel cosy warmth, which indicates the seasonal agricultural support of the rabi cropping cycle. This allows the cultivation of fresh produce, supporting nutrition and comfort, which fosters cultural traditions and community bonding. Rabi crops, also known as winter crops, which include wheat, barley, quinoa, mustard, peas, root vegetables, etc. Festivals like Christmas, Lohri, Sankranti and Pongal relate to the harvest cycle.”

Many winter foods are rich in fats and carbohydrates, like those using ghee, nuts, and root vegetables. These trigger the release of serotonin, a neurotransmitter that contributes to feelings of well-being and happiness. Chef Virendra Rawat, Good Food Concept, finds winter ingredients incredibly rewarding to work with. They don’t just bring bold, comforting flavours to the plate — they genuinely support the body during the colder months. Root vegetables, citrus fruits, nuts, seeds, and warming spices all come packed with vitamins A, C, and D, antioxidants, fibre, and healthy fats. Together, they help the body adapt to winter, improve digestion, nourish the skin, and offer the kind of comfort only hearty seasonal food can deliver. He also extolls the virtues of winter greens. “I wait for the season just to experience that unmistakable freshness in the air when the leafy greens arrive. There’s something incredibly satisfying about working with produce that comes straight from the farm to the table — crisp, vibrant, and full of life. Winter gives us greens at their very best, and creating dishes with them is one of my greatest pleasures as a chef.”

Green garlic, or spring garlic, is rich in antioxidants like allicin, boosting immunity, fighting infections (cold, flu, skin), improving digestion (gas, constipation), and benefiting heart health by lowering cholesterol and blood pressure, plus it's packed with vitamins (A, C, and B6) and minerals for overall wellness, aiding in cell repair and reducing inflammation.

Roasted Pumpkin Soup (Courtesy of Sukesh Krishnan, Executive Chef at Gateway Bekal)

Ingredients

• 1 onion, roughly sliced

• 1 carrot, peeled and sliced

• 2 garlic cloves

• 5 grams thyme

• 10 ml olive oil

• 20 grams unsalted butter

• 800 grams medium pumpkin deskinned and roughly sliced

• 100 grams potato, roughly sliced

• 400 ml water or vegetable stock

• 100 ml cooking cream

• Pumpkin seeds to garnish

• Salt to taste

• Crushed black pepper

• Oven roast the pumpkin, onion, garlic, thyme and carrots with some olive oil at 150 degrees for 15 minutes till all the vegetables are soft. Boil the potato separately and keep it aside.

• Put all the roasted pumpkin mixture, potato and vegetable stock in a blender and blend the soup until it has a smooth texture.

• Now cook the mixture on low heat for 10 minutes by adding a little water to balance the consistency.

• Season the soup with salt and crushed pepper.

• Before removing from the heat, add some cream to the mixture and mix the soup.

• Serve the soup in a soup bowl, and garnish the soup with cream dollops and toasted pumpkin seeds.

Spicy Prawn Har Gow (Courtesy of Takchung Lepcha, Chef and Director, Hunaaan)

For the filling

• Prawns (chopped) 120 g

• Spring onion (finely chopped) 10 g

• Ginger (finely grated) 5 g

• Garlic (minced) 5 g

• Sesame oil 5 ml

• Light soy sauce 5 ml

• Chilli oil 3 ml

• Salt 2 g

• White pepper 1 g

• Wheat starch 40 g

• Tapioca starch 20 g

• Hot water 60 ml

• Oil 5 ml

• In a bowl, mix prawns, spring onion, ginger, garlic, sesame oil, light soy sauce, chilli oil, salt, and white pepper. Keep aside.

• In another bowl, combine wheat starch and tapioca starch.

• Add hot water little by little and mix using a spoon until it forms a rough dough.

• Add oil and knead until the dough becomes smooth and elastic.

• Roll the dough into a log and cut into small equal pieces.

• Flatten each piece into a thin circle using a rolling pin.

• Place 1 spoon of prawn filling in the centre and fold the wrapper to form pleats, sealing the edges tightly.

• Steam the dumplings for 6–7 minutes until the wrappers turn translucent and the prawns are cooked through.

• Serve hot with chilli oil or soy dip.

Green Garlic Goat Cheese Tartlets (Courtesy: Chef Virendra Rawat, Good Food Concept)

For the Tart Shells

• Maida 175 grams

• Chilled Butter Cubes 115 g

• Caster Sugar 40 g

• Salt ¼ tsp

• Heavy Cream 10 ml

• Vanilla Extract 5 g

• Fresh green garlic, finely chopped, 1 bunch

• Salt a pinch

• Pepper a pinch

• Softened Goat Cheese (Store Bought) 180 g

• To make the tart shells, sieve the dry ingredients together. Add in

the butter cubes and rub with your fingers to form a crumbly effect. Add in cream and vanilla and make a soft dough. Refrigerate for two hours in cling film. Roll out the dough into a thin sheet and place it in mini tartlet moulds which have been applied with melted butter and dusted with flour. Bake at 150 degrees for 10 minutes depending on your oven.

• To make the filling, make a paste of the green garlic, salt, and pepper. Mix in the goat’s cheese and form a smooth paste. Pipe the same with a star nozzle into the tart shells. Garnish with any small leaf/edible flowers of your choice. Serve and enjoy.

Black and White Quinoa Salad (Courtesy: Sunil Kumar Panduranga Raj,

Exe Sous Chef, Sheraton Grand Bangalore Hotel at Brigade Gateway)

• Black quinoa, cooked, 100 g

• White quinoa, cooked, 100 g

• Sautéed Kale 50 g

• Roasted Sweet Potato 80 g

• Toasted Pine Nuts 12 g

• Fresh Pomegranate 20 g

• Avocado 1 no.

• Red Amaranth Leaves 3 g

• Shallots 2 g

• Chopped Parsley 5 g

• Balsamic Vinegar 50 ml

• Maple Syrup 30 ml

• Dijon Mustard 20 g

• Olive Oil 100 ml

• Salt 5 g

• Pepper 5 g

• Mix all ingredients for the dressing together in a bowl.

• In a bowl, mix the roasted sweet potato and both black and white quinoa with the balsamic–maple dressing.

• On a plate, arrange the sautéed kale as shown in the reference image.

• Place the dressed quinoa and roasted sweet potato mixture in the centre.

• Garnish with toasted pine nuts, pomegranate, sliced avocado and red amaranth leaves.’