thai pumpkin soup
A hearty, creamy soup with a spicy kick.
Autumn brings many treats, and pumpkins are definitely one of the best. If you want to enhance the flavours of this soup even further, simply roast the pumpkin chunks in an oven (at 350°F) for 20 minutes until slightly brown on the outside. This will bring out the deep, sweet flavours even more.
preparation time 15 minutes
cooking time 20 to 25 minutes
serves 4
contains: nuts, citrus
2 tablespoons olive oil 1 teaspoon sesame oil 2 shallots, finely chopped 2lb 4oz pumpkin, peeled, seeded and chopped into bite-sized chunks 1⅔ cups coconut milk 2¼ cups fresh gluten-, yeast,- and dairy-free vegetable stock, or vegetable stock made from gluten-, yeast-, and dairy-free bouillon powder 2 to 3 tablespoons fish sauce 2 handfuls chopped cilantro leaves ⅔ cup peanuts, chopped
red curry paste:
½ tablespoon cumin seeds ½ tablespoon coriander seeds 2 lemongrass stalks 6 large red chilies, seeded and coarsely chopped 4 shallots, chopped ¾-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and chopped 4 garlic cloves, chopped 2 teaspoons shrimp paste 5 kaffir lime leaves, chopped 1 small handful coarsely chopped cilantro leaves and stems 1 To make the curry paste, heat a heavy-based skillet over a low heat. Add the cumin seeds and coriander seeds and toast for 2 to 3 minutes until they start to brown. Keep the seeds moving all the time so they do not burn.
2 Remove from the heat and grind to a fine powder using a mortar and pestle or an immersion blender attachment. Place in a blender or food processor.
3 Peel and coarsely chop the bottom half of the lemongrass stalks and add, along with chilies, shallots,
ginger, and garlic. Blend well. Add the shrimp paste, kaffir lime leaves and the cilantro, and blend to form a coarse paste. You'll need 3 to 4 tablespoons of the paste for this recipe, so put the rest (about 8 tablespoons) in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
4 Heat the oils in a large, heavy-based saucepan over low heat. Add the shallots and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until just starting to turn golden brown.
5 Stir in the curry paste (3 to 4 tablespoons) and add the pumpkin, coconut milk and stock. Turn up the heat slightly and bring to a gentle boil, then turn the heat down, cover with a lid, and allow to simmer for 10 to 15 minutes until the pumpkin is soft. Add the fish sauce to taste.
6 Blend the mixture in the pan using an immersion blender to make a smooth soup. Alternatively, blend the soup in a blender or food processor, return to the pan and heat through. Pour into bowls, sprinkle with the cilantro and peanuts and serve.
related ingredients: fish sauce,
shrimp paste,
stock powder
