Simple Pumpkin Soup with a Spiced Thai Coconut Curry

Simple Pumpkin Soup with a Spiced Thai Coconut Curry is a fast, comforting dinner. Sautéing red curry paste caramelizes the spices, intensifying the taste before adding salt-reduced vegetable stock and full-fat coconut milk. Heating the squash in two 8-minute increments ensures soft pieces that blend perfectly smooth alongside warm Flaky roti.

Prepping the squash

You need about 2.6 lb (1.3 kg) of raw, peeled flesh to make the soup base. A whole 3.6 lb (1.8 kg) pumpkin or butternut squash yields this exact amount after you remove the seeds and skin. Butternut squash works interchangeably with regular pumpkin. A standard potato peeler safely removes the tough skin from a butternut squash in just a few swipes. You should cut a regular pumpkin into wedges first. Slice the skin off each wedge with a sharp knife flat against the cutting board.

Choosing coconut milk and curry paste

Full-fat coconut milk containing at least 85 percent coconut provides the best taste. Manufacturers dilute low-fat and economical coconut milks with water. If you use a low-fat can, the soup will have very little coconut flavor. You need to scoop out a quarter cup of the thick milk from the top of the can and set it aside before you start cooking. You will use this small amount as a decorative garnish at the end.

You will need 3 tablespoons of Thai red curry paste, which comes out to half of a standard 115-gram can from the grocery store. If you decide to prepare a batch from scratch instead, you can easily stash any leftover homemade paste in the freezer for another time.

Cooking the base

The cooking process starts by warming vegetable oil in a heavy pot. The diced brown onion and finely minced garlic cloves cook in the hot oil for a few minutes until they become soft.

You must sauté the curry paste in the pot for two minutes. This action caramelizes the paste and intensifies its taste. If you skip the sauté step, the final soup will have a weaker, less developed flavor.

Stir the raw pumpkin into the hot curry paste. You need to toss the pieces so they get completely coated in the paste. You should heat the squash in the spices before adding the liquids to toast the exterior and build a better base.

Pour the salt-reduced vegetable stock, the remaining coconut milk, and the fish sauce into the pot. Salt-reduced vegetable stock prevents the final dish from becoming overly salty. If you use regular stock instead of low-sodium stock, the soup can become too salty. You can use chicken stock in place of the vegetable stock. Fish sauce adds a savory element. Light soy sauce works as a direct substitute if you do not have fish sauce.

Pureeing the soup

The liquid needs to come up to a simmer. You will drop the heat to medium and let the mixture bubble for 8 minutes. Check the pumpkin chunks with a fork to see if they are soft. You can blend the hot ingredients directly in the pot using an immersion blender. Run the blender until the liquid is completely smooth and no lumps remain.

Garnishes & Serving

Large red cayenne peppers provide visual appeal to the bowl without adding excessive heat. Small chilies will make the garnish too spicy. Scatter the finely sliced peppers over the ladled soup bowls along with fresh coriander leaves and crispy Asian shallots.

Swirl the reserved coconut milk into the hot soup. Serve the bowls alongside warm, Flaky roti for dipping. Frozen roti canai flatbreads cook directly on the stove in just a few minutes.

Storing the leftovers

Leftover soup keeps in the refrigerator for up to four days. You can also freeze the soup in airtight containers for up to three months.