Simple, quick and very aromatic – a soup that practically makes itself. Every bowl contains plenty of fiber, beta-carotene and micronutrients. And very few calories. Pumpkin cream soup with red curry is recommended not only for those on a diet, but above all for sweet-toothed food lovers..
Just 2 teaspoons of paste are enough to turn a well-behaved vegetable cream soup into an explosion of flavor. Red curry changes everything. Thanks to the Thai paste, the soup has a unique taste and the aroma of an exotic holiday.
Curry is an Asian invention, but there are ongoing disputes over who invented it. Almost every nation or region in Southeast Asia seems to have its own curry blend. I associate curry most strongly with Thai cuisine, and Thai pastes are the ones I use most willingly. Thais make 3 types of paste: red, yellow and green. Red is the mildest version. Yellow curry is much hotter, but still edible. Green paste is true hellfire for those who believe that spicy can never be too spicy. If you prefer hot cuisine, you can use its hotter cousins instead of red paste.
You can of course make the paste at home if you are a very ambitious cook. I tried and decided that Thais do it better, and a jar bought in a shop is also a considerable time-saver. An important rule – read the labels. The paste should be made in Thailand.
THE PERFECT PUMPKIN
Pumpkin must not be missing from your shopping list. The best choice will be one with green or gray skin, namely muscat pumpkin. It is delicate and slightly sweet, with melon aromas and intensely orange flesh. That is where the most valuable thing in pumpkin lives – plenty of carotene. Importantly, the carotene in pumpkin survives boiling, frying and baking. Therefore, pumpkin dishes provide a decent serving of nutrients.
Hokkaido pumpkin will also work well. This pumpkin does not even need to be peeled before cooking because it has soft skin. Couldn’t find Hokkaido? Buy butternut squash. You can find it in shops all year round. And the ideal solution is to mix two or three different varieties in equal proportions.
Pumpkin cream soup with red curry is a filling, warming soup, perfect for cool autumn days. And it is great for our figure. 100 grams of pumpkin contain just 20–25 calories. The recipe includes full-fat coconut milk, but if you count calories, you can use the reduced-fat version, and xylitol instead of sugar. I prefer the less “slim” version.
For a festive or more luxurious version, I serve the pumpkin cream soup with red curry with garnishes. It pairs beautifully with briefly fried prawns.
P.S. If you like delicious and aromatic soups, also try beetroot and pineapple cream soup. It is a real firecracker.
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Enjoy your meal!
PUMPKIN CREAM SOUP WITH RED CURRY
Serves 4.
Ingredients
- 1 kg pumpkin
- 1 sweet onion
- 2 cups vegetable stock
- 1 can coconut milk
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
- 2-cm piece of ginger
- 2 garlic cloves
- 2 tablespoons red curry paste
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce.
Method
- Heat the coconut oil in a heavy-bottomed pot. Add the chopped onion and fry over low heat until translucent. Add the garlic and ginger and fry for about 2 minutes, so the spices begin to release their aroma.
- Pour in the stock and bring to a boil. Add the diced pumpkin. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and cook for about 15 minutes.
- Add the coconut milk, curry paste, soy sauce, lime juice and sugar. Bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and blend until silky smooth.
- Serve the soup in bowls and garnish with cilantro.
