Winter Comfort Foods: A Seasonal Celebration of Flavors and Traditions in Bengaluru

COMFORTING AND NOURISHING : Devansh and Priyadarshini enjoying clear soup at a winter weddingAnshika Tripathi finds winter magical; she loves the hues and flavours of the season.It’s the season when carrots look and taste their best. It’s when families sit in a circle and peel fresh green peas.Anshika, a resident of Koramangala who is originally from Lucknow, celebrates winter with gajar ka halwa, nimona (a curry of ground peas), sagpaitha (urad dal and palak) and mixed vegetable pickles.Winter is a foodie’s delight. There’s nothing like sitting around a bonfire and having some soups, chaats or crispy pakoras. Methi thepla, makki ki roti and sesame laddoos taste all the more delicious on chilli winter evenings.IPL Auction 2026MI, RR, CSK, KKR: As it happened - How Green became a 'Knight' after intense bidding warIPL Auction 2026: After Rs 25.2 cr splurge on Green, KKR land Pathirana for Rs 18 crIPL 2026 team and squad List: Updated players for all 10 Teams; who got whomThose who worry about their waistline can try lotus seeds roasted with pepper, salt and turmeric. It can satiate your winter cravings besides beating the blues away.As Bengaluru braces for its coldest December in nine years, with minimum temperature expected to drop as low as 12 degrees Celsius, people are increasingly seeking winter comfort foods.Saikat Saha, a resident of Purva Fountain Square in Marathahalli, is a huge fan of Nolen gur, a traditional Bengali sweetener harvested in winter.“Nolen gur is made from the sap of the date palm tree, and has a unique flavour and cultural significance. It can lend a caramel-like flavour to sweets like sandesh and pithe, making them totally irresistible,” says Saikat who is also the owner of Kolkata Sholoana, a Bengali superstore.An elusive dessert that made winter cozyGrowing up as an army kid allowed Maya Shetty from Whitefield to explore a wide variety of winter cuisines. “I still have fond memories of celebrating Lohri festival in Punjab, where we’d bond by a fireside over popcorn, puffed rice, peanuts and lotus seeds,” she says.Maya recounts a winter trip to Darjeeling in bone chilling cold during her teenage years. “We visited an old acquaintance, an army officer, at their stone-made cottage, which had a lovely wooden floor. And then, his wife served us a unique, piping hot kheer made from suji (semolina) and jaggery instead of sugar, sprinkled with nuts and almonds. Despite many attempts over the years, I have never been able to find the exact recipe or replicate the dish, and it remains a special, comfort food memory,” she says.Add amla, guava, cherries and berries to your daily dietWinter is a time when you want to soothe your throat with warm drinks and food. It's a season when cold, cough and flu are rampant, so antioxidant rich foods help, says Suneetha Rao, chief dietitian at NU Hospitals in Bengaluru.“Indian gooseberry, guava are the fruits in season and they are loaded with Vitamin C which is the best-known antioxidant. Cherries and berries are also rich in phytonutrients and help in fighting infections,” she says.Many prefer to have warm soups. “Soups made with a blend of vegetables like pumpkin and spinach help in providing the much-needed protective vitamins,” says Suneetha, adding “People often forget to hydrate during winters as it is cold. These soups and fruits provide not only hydration but also antioxidants.”Vaidya Ramita Maharjan considers winter as a season to rebuild strength and nourish oneself deeply. “Ayurveda teaches that our digestive fire glows brightest now, making it the perfect time to enjoy food that is unctuous or sour.Freshly harvested rice, seasonal vegetables, ghee, milk, a touch of jaggery, and warm water throughout the day help boost natural immunity. Warming spices such as ginger, black pepper, cinnamon, clove and turmeric do more than flavouring our meals; they awaken circulation, uplift mood and shield us from winter infections,” she says.A thoughtfully prepared winter plate becomes comforting, energising and protective, helping us move through the season with warmth and vitality.VOICE BOXDuring winters, I have two go-to dishes – pepper rasam with a squeeze of lime over hot rice, with a dash of ghee. The other is an avarekai dish (hyacinth beans), which comes into season in Dec in Bengaluru.Ruth Dsouza PrabhuThis is a recipe I learnt from a friend's mother. It’s easy to make – sliced onions, cooked in white butter, with the averakai added in and pressure-cooked. It's mild, goes well with rice and is a perfect bowl in winter.Ruth Dsouza Prabhu, INDEPENDENT JOURNALIST AND AUTHOR. LIVES IN SRI RAMA RESIDENCY IN JAYANAGARMy favourite winter food is thukpa, a Tibetan noodle soup.Dhanya Shree NDuring winter, people make a beeline at a Nepali store near my college that serves thukpa.Dhanya Shree N, BBA STUDENT, RAMAIAH UNIVERSITY, HEBBALIn winter, it is best not to indulge in foods that have more fat, such as creamy soups, ice creams and full fat dairy. Though they tempt the taste buds, they are high in calories and saturated fat which are not the best bet for heart health.Suneetha RaoSeasonal fruits and vegetables and local cuisine always cater to the needs of the seasons and hence it will be good to look into our own traditional sweets like sesame ladoos, and pepper flavoured recipes that are often cooked during winters.Suneetha Rao, CHIEF DIETITIAN, NU HOSPITALSAt our home, during winters, we have a variety of warm and comforting dishes that make the season feel special. We make gooseberry delicacies, like the murabba and pickles. Traditional winter sweets like soth (dry ginger) laddoo, gajak and rewari are enjoyed for their warming properties as well.Ritika PandeyYellow rice tehri with garlic and coriander chutney and a variety of parathas made with gobi (cauliflower) and mooli (radish) become a staple in winter.Ritika Pandey, RESIDENT, SOBHA DAFFODIL, HSRWe make the most of the season with bathua paratha, bathua raita and gooseberry murraba, pickle and chutney.Anshika TripathiI believe choosing foods by season helps prevent diseases.Anshika Tripathi, RESIDENT, KORAMANGALAWhen the winter wind howls outside, my heart warms up inside with the crackle of hot bajji and potato bonda straight from the kadai, the sticky comfort of fried rice, and the fierce spice of roasted minced beef.Benezer LhouvumFor me, a winter meal is never complete without deep bowls of steaming beef bone-marrow soup, the smoky Naga pork thick with axone and anishi and fiery Kerala mackerel curry – one bite, one slurp, and the cold surrenders.Benezer Lhouvum, RESIDENT, WHITEFIELDWe’re from Kolkata and love to indulge in sweets during winter. Nolen gur (date‑palm jaggery) is a true seasonal delicacy – its sap is harvested only in the winter months. A bite of Nolen gurer sandesh – golden, melt‑in‑your‑mouth bliss – can turn any chilly day into a warm hug.Sudheshna Guha Thakurta and Indranil SinhaWe love Nolen gur pithes as well, an essential part of Poush Sankranti, which falls in mid‑January alongside the rest of India’s Makar Sankranti celebrations.Sudeshna Guha Thakurta and Indranil Sinha. LIVE IN HOUSE OF HIRANANDANI, AKSHAYANAGARGet an chance to win ₹5000 Amazon Voucher by taking part in India's Biggest Habit Index! Take the survey here