Friday 4 October 2013

Thai-Style Pumpkin Soup

Thai-Style Pumpkin Soup



Ingredients:
1½ kg pumpkin or squash, peeled and roughly chopped

4 tsp sunflower oil

1 onion, sliced

1 tbsp grated ginger

1 lemongrass,

3-4 tbsp Thai red curry paste

400ml can coconut milk

850ml vegetable stock

lime juice and sugar, for seasoning

1 red chilli, sliced, to serve (optional)

Method: 
Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Toss the pumpkin or squash in a roasting pan with half the oil and seasoning, then roast for 30 mins until golden and tender.

Meanwhile, put the remaining oil in a Sauté pan with the onion, ginger and lemongrass. Gently cook for 8-10 mins until softened. Stir in the curry paste for 1 min, followed by the roasted pumpkin, all but 3 tbsp of the coconut milk and the stock. Bring to a simmer, cook for 5 mins, then fish out the lemongrass. Cool for a few mins, then whizz until smooth with a hand blender, or in a large blender in batches. Return to the pan to heat through, seasoning with salt, pepper, lime juice and sugar, if it needs it. Serve drizzled with the remaining coconut milk and scattered with chilli, if you like.

Roast the pumpkin seeds for added flavour