Happy Eat Your Pumpkin Day - this velvety soup is great if you're carving a fairly "neutral" tasting monster as there are such bright, intense, in it. Perfect to warm you through and through after trailing around behind the kids or going to fireworks.
Thai Pumpkin Soup
2 tbs oil
1cm / ½ in piece fresh root ginger, grated
½ tsp chopped red chilli
1 tbs chopped lemongrass
1 red onion, peeled and chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
about 500g pumpkin, deseeded, peeled & chopped
1 tbs light soy sauce
2 tbs tamarind puree
400ml tinned coconut milk
400ml water
Heat the oil in a large saucepan and fry the ginger, chilli, lemongrass, onion, garlic and pumpkin over a fairly high heat, stirring constantly, until just beginning to colour. Add the soy, tamarind, coconut milk, and water. Simmer until the pumpkin is very tender (about 25 minutes). Whizz with a blender until smooth. Taste and adjust seasonings – if it is too fiery try adding a good pinch of sugar. Reheat and serve.
You can ring the changes with this soup by using an Indian curry paste instead of the Thai ingredients and you can swap coconut milk for crème fraîche or add yoghurt at the last minute.
Thai Pumpkin Soup
2 tbs oil
1cm / ½ in piece fresh root ginger, grated
½ tsp chopped red chilli
1 tbs chopped lemongrass
1 red onion, peeled and chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
about 500g pumpkin, deseeded, peeled & chopped
1 tbs light soy sauce
2 tbs tamarind puree
400ml tinned coconut milk
400ml water
Heat the oil in a large saucepan and fry the ginger, chilli, lemongrass, onion, garlic and pumpkin over a fairly high heat, stirring constantly, until just beginning to colour. Add the soy, tamarind, coconut milk, and water. Simmer until the pumpkin is very tender (about 25 minutes). Whizz with a blender until smooth. Taste and adjust seasonings – if it is too fiery try adding a good pinch of sugar. Reheat and serve.
You can ring the changes with this soup by using an Indian curry paste instead of the Thai ingredients and you can swap coconut milk for crème fraîche or add yoghurt at the last minute.
