Global warming

From hawkers’ stands in Southeast Asia to the back burner on Grandma’s stove, soul-soothing soups hold universal appeal.

Fragrant Kaffir lime leaves, cinnamon sticks, peppery galangal root and fresh mint are just a few of the flavor-packing ingredients used by cooks around the world to add taste and spice to their meal-in-a-bowl soups.

With the chilly days of winter quickly approaching, these globally inspired soup recipes from local chefs will warm you up, add some spice to your weekly menu and stretch your grocery dollars.

Country: Vietnam

Soup: Pho Ga

“Soup is very popular in Vietnam. When you are tired or getting a cold, it is very good for you,” says Phò Vân owner Henry Cao.

The broth of this Vietnamese version of chicken noodle soup is flavored with cinnamon, cloves and star anise. Multiple sauces and condiments are served on the side, letting each diner create his or her own unique bowl of pho.

Pho Ga

From Henry Cao, Pho Van Vietnamese Bistro, Spokane

For the broth:

1 stewing hen, cut up

1 tablespoon cinnamon bark, in pieces

1 tablespoon whole cloves

1 tablespoon star anise

8 ounces sliced ginger root

10 whole shallots

½ sliced yellow onion

1 ½ teaspoons salt

1 ½ teaspoons sugar

For the soup:

1 large chicken breast

8 ounces of rice vermicelli

1 white onion, sliced

3 green onions, sliced

1 bunch cilantro

1 bunch Thai basil

1 jalapeno pepper, sliced

Lime wedges

Bean sprouts

Hoisin sauce, chili oil, Sriracha chili sauce, to taste

Wash and dry the stewing hen. Remove the skin. Place stewing hen in a large soup pot and cover with 1 gallon of water. Add cinnamon bark, cloves, star anise, ginger root, shallots, sliced yellow onion, salt and sugar. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 2 hours, adding more water if necessary.

While soup is cooking, steam the chicken breast in a steamer basket for 20 to 25 minutes or until no longer pink. (If you don’t have a steamer, poach chicken instead.) Cut into thin slices and set aside.

Prepare rice vermicelli according to directions on package and set aside.

Remove the soup pot from heat and strain the soup, reserving stewing hen meat for another use. Return broth to low heat. Just before serving, briefly dip the rice vermicelli in hot broth or boiling water to heat through.

To serve the soup, place 1 cup of prepared rice vermicelli in each soup bowl. Place several slices of cooked chicken breast on top of vermicelli. Add a few white onion slices, 1 tablespoon green onions and a few sprigs of cilantro. Cover with broth.

Serve with Thai basil, jalapeno slices, lime wedges and bean sprouts on the side for each person to add to the soup. Add hoisin sauce, chili oil and chili sauce to taste.

Yield: 4 to 6 servings.

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Country: United States

Soup: Potato Bacon Garlic Chowder

The inspiration for this creamy, comforting soup comes from a mashed potato recipe that Soulful Soups’ owner RJ Portmann makes at home.

“You can top it with bacon bits, sour cream and chives and make it into a baked potato soup,” he says.

For a smoother consistency, use starchy potatoes like Yukon Gold. Cooking the potatoes twice adds a roasted flavor, and white pepper gives it a little spice. For extra smoky flavor, add a little bacon fat to the soup.

Potato Bacon Garlic Chowder

Courtesy of RJ Portmann, Soulful Soups

5 pounds of potatoes, peeled (leaving a little skin for flavor)

4 tablespoons minced garlic

Garlic salt

White pepper

1 quart of heavy whipping cream

1 ½ pounds of fresh or frozen whole kernel corn

8 to 10 strips crisply cooked bacon, diced

Salt and pepper to taste

Cut the potatoes into quarters and boil 8-10 minutes or until mostly cooked but still firm. Drain.

Spread potatoes and minced garlic on a greased baking sheet. Sprinkle with garlic salt and white pepper. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown.

Place the browned potatoes in a large soup pot and add water until just covered. Add the heavy cream. Bring to a boil, turn down heat and simmer until potatoes are very soft.

Use a blender or immersion blender to puree to desired degree of smoothness. Add the bacon and corn. Cook over medium until soup reaches 170 degrees, stirring often. Add salt and pepper to taste and more heavy cream to desired consistency.

Yield: 5 to 6 quarts

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Country: El Salvador

Soup: Sopa de Rez

This chunky beef stew-like soup is a popular street food served up at roadside stalls and bus terminals across El Salvador. Diners can pull up a bench for a quick bowl or take it to go.

“They eat Sopa de Rez everyday, like french fries here,” says Spokane caterer Romeo Herrera, who grew up in El Salvador.

Beef, mint and cilantro are must-have ingredients, but feel free to add whatever vegetables you have on hand.

“It’s kind of like the kitchen sink soup,” Herrera says.

Sopa de Rez

Courtesy of Chef Romeo Herrera, owner of Catered for You

3 pounds beef soup bones, cut into 2- to 3-inch pieces.

1 pound beef stew meat, cut into 1 ½-inch chunks

½ pound green cabbage, sliced

1 pound yucca, cut in 1- to 1 ½-inch slices (also known as cassava root; look for it peeled and frozen in Asian markets)

1 or 2 chayote squash, cut into 1- to 2-inch pieces

1 or 2 potatoes, cut into 1 ½-inch chunks

½ medium yellow onion, diced

5 cloves garlic, chopped

4 Roma tomatoes, chopped

1 green bell pepper, seeded and diced

1 or 2 cobs of corn, cut into 1- to 2-inch round slices

¼ cup fresh mint

¼ cup fresh cilantro

Beef boullion cubes

Salt and pepper, to taste

Prepare the bones and stew meat by pouring boiling water over them and then rinsing them in cold water to seal in the juices. Next place bones and stew meat in a large soup pot with ½ gallon of water. Bring to a boil and then simmer for 2 to 3 hours, adding more water as necessary.

When meat is soft, add all of the prepared vegetables and cook for 15 minutes. Add mint and cilantro and cook 5 minutes more. Taste and add one or two beef boullion cubes (dissolve in hot water first) and salt and pepper to taste.

The bones are traditionally served in each bowl, but you can also take the meat off the bones, add it to the soup and discard bones before serving.

Yield: 4 to 5 servings

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Country: Thailand

Soup: Tom Kha Soup

“This is a great cold-weather soup, but it is popular all year in tropical Thailand,” says Bangkok Thai Restaurant manager Josh Than.

This hot and sour coconut soup is usually served with jasmine rice, making it a complete meal. Look for Kaffir lime leaves in the freezer section of local Asian markets.

Tom Kha Soup

Courtesy of Josh Than, Bangkok Thai Restaurant

1 (14-ounce) can coconut milk

28 ounces water

6 to 8 ounces meat of your choice (typically chicken, shrimp or seafood) or substitute equivalent amount of tofu or vegetables

2 tablespoons sugar

¼ teaspoon salt

1 stalk fresh lemongrass, gently muddled

1 or 2 fresh Kaffir lime leaves, shredded or finely julienned

Approximately 1/8 cup sliced fresh galangal root

¼ cup sliced white mushrooms or canned straw mushrooms

2 tablespoons fish sauce

4 tablespoons fresh squeezed lime juice

Fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped for garnish

Bring coconut milk and water to a boil. Add meat or tofu and vegetables, sugar, salt, lemongrass, Kaffir lime leaves, galangal root and mushrooms.

Simmer 5 to 7 minutes or until meat is cooked. Season soup with fish sauce and lime juice to taste.  Garnish with cilantro and serve with Jasmine rice.

Yield: 3 to 4 servings.

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Country: Mexico

Soup: Albondigas Soup

“This is a great way to stretch a pound of ground beef to serve 10 people,” says Fred Meyer, who owns El Mercado del Pueblo Mexican market with his wife Gilda.

For a little more spice, Meyer suggests substituting spicy chorizo sausage for half of the ground beef in the meatballs. This soup is traditionally served with warm tortillas.

Albondigas Soup

From Fred Meyer, El Mercado del Pueblo

1 medium onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

2 teaspoons cooking oil

4 cups water

2 cans (total 21 ounces) condensed beef broth

1 16-ounce can stewed tomatoes

2 medium carrots, sliced (about 1 cup)

3 medium potatoes, cubed and peeled

1 beaten egg

1/4 cup spearmint leaves

1 teaspoon salt, to taste

1/2 teaspoon of oregano, crushed

1/8 teaspoon pepper

1 pound ground beef

1/4 cup long grain rice

In a large saucepan cook the onion and garlic in hot oil until onion is tender but not brown. Stir in water, broth and stewed tomatoes. Bring it to a boil and add carrots and potatoes. Simmer for about 5 minutes.

In a separate mixing bowl, combine egg, spearmint, salt, oregano and pepper. Add ground beef and uncooked rice. Mix all ingredients well and form into 1-inch meatballs.

Add meatballs into the simmering soup a few at a time. Once all of the meatballs are in the soup, bring it to a boil and then reduce heat and simmer for about 30 minutes or until meatballs and vegetables are done.

Yield: 8 to 10 servings.