Description
This paleo and vegetarian-friendly Thai pumpkin soup is spicy, warm and a little exotic. Sweet potato and carrots can be used instead of pumpkin. Winter squash or sweet pumpkin can be used.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 brown onion, diced
- 1 lemongrass stalk, cut in thirds
- 1 long red chilli, diced and deseeded
- 2 tablespoons diced fresh coriander (cilantro) stalks/roots
- 2-cm (3/4″) fresh galangal piece (or 1 teaspoon powder, but optional)
- 2-cm (3/4″) turmeric root piece (or 1 teaspoon of turmeric powder)
- 4 kaffir lime leaves, optional
- 2 teaspoons coconut oil
- 4 cups peeled and cubed pumpkin (sweet kind like Kent/Jap is best)
- 2 garlic cloves, diced
- 2 tablespoons fish sauce (use coconut aminos or Tamari as an alternative)
- 1 litre (1 qt.) vegetable stock
- Peel from half of fresh lime
- 1/2 cup coconut cream (100ml or 3 1/2 fl. oz.), plus extra to serve (see notes above)
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- Coriander/cilantro leaves to serve
Instructions
- Add the onion, lemongrass, chilli, coriander stalks, galangal, turmeric and kaffir lime leaves to a medium saucepan and sauté in coconut oil over medium heat for 2–3 minutes.
- Add the pumpkin, garlic, lime peel, fish sauce and vegetable stock and bring to the boil. Turn the heat down and simmer for 15 minutes, covered, until pumpkin is soft when poked with a knife.
- Remove the turmeric, galangal, lime peel and lemongrass from the soup and transfer the rest to a food processor or a blender, in batches if needed. Puree until smooth, then add the coconut cream and lime juice. Whiz a couple more times to incorporate. Serve with a ripple of coconut cream and fresh coriander leaves on top.