How to make Thai-spiced Pumpkin Soup

This is a feisty, colourful soup that is full of flavour. Using shop-bought red curry paste means it’s quick to put together, and the coconut milk brings a luxurious richness that is perfect for chilly days when you want to be warmed from the inside. It’s also particularly useful for recycling discarded Halloween pumpkins.

Feeds 4–6

Ingredients

1kg pumpkin or butternut squash, skin on, deseeded and cut into large pieces
2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
1 onion, finely sliced
1 large thumb-sized piece of fresh ginger, peeled and grated
2 tbsp Thai red curry paste
500ml vegetable or chicken stock
1 x 400ml tin of full- or reduced-fat coconut milk
1 tsp caster sugar
light soy sauce, to taste
salt and black pepper to season
large handful of coriander, leaves picked and chopped, to serve
finely grated zest and juice of 1 lime, to serve
optional garnish: chopped red chilli, chilli oil, kaffir lime leaves and finely chopped spring onion

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan/Gas mark 4.
2. Toss the pumpkin in a roasting tray with 1 tablespoon of the oil and the chopped garlic. Season with salt and pepper and roast for 45 minutes until softened. Remove from the oven and scrape the pumpkin flesh into a bowl, discarding the skin. Roughly mash the pumpkin and set aside.
3. Heat the remaining oil in a heavy-based saucepan over a medium heat and gently fry the onion for 7–8 minutes until soft. Turn up the heat a little, add the ginger and curry paste, and fry for 2–3 minutes. Add the stock, coconut milk and mashed pumpkin. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer very gently for 10 minutes until the flavours have combined. Stir in the sugar, and add soy sauce to taste.
4. To serve, ladle into a bowl, and sprinkle with coriander leaves, and the lime zest and juice. Add the chilli and a drizzle of chilli oil if you like things spicy and garnish with kaffir lime leaves and chopped spring onions.

To Freeze

Allow the soup to cool completely, then transfer to an airtight container and freeze for up to
1 month. Defrost and reheat very gently to prevent the soup from splitting, until piping hot throughout.

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