* Apinun! I’m thawing my Winter bones in tropical Papua New Guinea at the moment, so here is a post I prepared for you whilst I’m in holiday mode. Now where is my mojito…
While we’re swanning about up north our little love Tessa is hanging out with one of the jillaroos back home on the sunny Limestone Coast. She’s really no trouble at all, basically sleeps 18-20 hours a day and is happy to go with anyone (so happy in fact she is constantly jumping in random people’s cars. She’s a motoring enthusiast, that dog!) Lovely Yvette was only too happy to have a little black fluffy companion for two weeks, but all the same I made her a big pot of warming pumpkin soup for her troubles. It’s just how I roll.
My idea of soup is something that is going to heat you up from the very depths of your cold frozen bones. So my Mum’s classic pumpkin soup recipe gets a bit of tweaking as I put my Asian spin on it – coconut milk, chilli, lime and curry paste. It’s sure to win and warm hearts of a cold Winter’s evening, and don’t think just because it’s got chilli in it that it’s spicy – it’s ‘spiced’ not spicy. Trust me, my husband thinks Vegemite is too spicy and loves this soup. Of course, if you like the extra kick like I do just keep some of the chilli seeds in (or use those little hot as Hades ones!) I make big batches of this and keep in the freezer for quick lunches and dinners, serve with big chunks of crusty bread and slabs (seriously, slabs) of butter.
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Thai Inspired Pumpkin Soup
1 tsp peanut oil
1 tbsp red curry paste
1 brown onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, crushed
2 chilli’s, chopped and seeds removed
A big knob of ginger, grated
1 kg pumpkin, peeled and chopped (I use butternut for it’s sweetness)
2 large potatoes, peeled and chopped
1 litre vegetable stock
400ml can of coconut milk
Dash of lime juice
Salt and pepper
Coriander and extra chilli to garnish
In a large pot heat peanut oil, add in curry paste and cook, stirring until fragrant. Throw in the onion, garlic, ginger and chilli, stir through for a few minutes to fry off. Add the pumpkin, potatoes and stock to the pot and simmer until pumpkin and potato are cooked through.
Remove pot from heat, with a stick mixer blend the soup. Pour in the coconut milk and stir through. Add the dash of lime juice, salt and pepper to taste.
