Thai Pumpkin Soup

(Originally published, Aug-2016. Updated by Tania, June-2019)

Hello! Soup weather is nearly over here in Aoteoroa…..but not quite and there’s nothing more satisfying than warming up those winter blues with homemade soup.

I am no Thai chef by any stretch of the imagination but have used Thai flavours to turn it into an aromatic, curried winter warmer, you know, for when you want something wholesome but it’s cold and a salad just won’t cut the ‘mustard’.

Even though I love pumpkin soup it can sometimes get a bit boring but luckily there are quite a few variations to try. I love curries with coconut cream so this soup is one of my favourites and I’ve added other Thai flavours like ginger, lemongrass and coriander, creating a deliciously flavoursome soup that the whole family will love!

INGREDIENTS

1.5 kilos pumpkin (around 1.2 kilos without the skin & seeds)
1 small brown onion (or ½ medium-sized)
3-5 cloves fresh garlic (1 tablespoon when finely diced)
2 cm piece of fresh ginger (2 teaspoons when grated)
1 stalk of fresh lemongrass (or 2 tablespoons of paste)
2 tablespoons sunflower oil (or vegetable oil)
1 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoons red curry paste
9 cups vegetable stock (fresh or made up from powder)
1 x 270 ml can coconut cream (1 cup + 2 tablespoons)
1 tablespoon white sugar

To garnish – Any of, or all of; fresh lime juice, fresh coriander (cilantro) leaves, fresh chilli slices, spring onion slices & chopped, roasted peanuts.

Serves 6

Notes

• I’ve used a few different types of pumpkin for this recipe, but of course, you can use whichever is in season.
• I use a food processor to blend my soups. If you don’t have one you could mash it with a potato masher but because of the other ingredients, it won’t be smooth. I have used a good quality blender in the past and done it in two parts. (I must get myself a ‘magic wand’ as they’re a godsend!)
• Even though I mentioned “Any of, or all of” and listed the garnishes that I like, I really wouldn’t have it without torn up fresh coriander (cilantro) leaves, some swirls of coconut cream and half a small lime juiced all over the top before serving…..this just finishes it off perfectly!

STEP BY STEP

First, peel, deseed and chop up the pumpkin into medium sized pieces.

• The size of the pieces of pumpkin doesn’t matter too much. If they are smaller the soup will be ready sooner but the larger the pieces the longer it will take to cook it will be more flavourful.

Next, peel and finely dice the onion and the garlic.

Also, peel and finely grate the ginger.

Now, the lemongrass…
Chop off the root end and the long skinny ends (like you would a spring onion but often when you buy lemongrass these skinnier ends have already been removed).
Next, with the tip of your knife, make a slit right down the stalks and then remove the tougher outer layers.
Then to get the oil out you need to bruise it. You can bash it with a rolling pin or a meat tenderiser. If you are apt with a large Chef’s knife you can use the spine to do it.
Go on to finely slice it up and place with the onion and the garlic.

Using a very big saucepan, over a medium heat, melt together the oil and the butter and as soon as they start to bubble add the onion, the ginger and the lemongrass and cook gently for 3 minutes, stirring often.

• If they start to brown turn the heat down a tad.

Add the garlic and the curry paste and continue cooking for one more minute.

Remove it from the heat, add the pumpkin, and stir it all together.

Pour over the liquid stock or add cups of water mixed with the amount of dry stock recommended on the packet.

• The stock should just cover the pumpkin by about 2 ½ cm.

Return the saucepan to the heat, turn it up to high and bring it to the boil (this will take a while).

Once boiling,  turn the heat down to medium/low or a temperature to where the soup is just simmering (softly boiling).

Simmer until the pumpkin can be pierced easily with a knife (around 30 minutes).

Meanwhile, get the food processor out of the cupboard and place a large colander (or a sieve) over a very large bowl.

When the pumpkin is cooked pour it out into the colander so that the pumpkin is sitting in the colander and the liquid has strained through into the bowl underneath. 

Leave it to cool until it and the liquid is at a temperature that you are happy to place into the food processor.

Once cooled a little, place the pumpkin and 3 cups of the liquid (keep the remaining liquid) into the food processor and process it all until smooth. 

• As I mentioned above you can use a blender but will need to do it in two parts.
• If you have a ‘magic kitchen wand’ you can return the pumpkin and the 3 cups of liquid to the saucepan and puree it. Then go on to add the coconut cream and the sugar etc (see below).

Return the blended pumpkin back to the saucepan and add the coconut cream (leave aside 2 tablespoons for garnish) and the sugar.

Add some of the remaining stock from the bowl until the soup is the thickness you prefer….because.everyone has their own preference here.

Over a medium/low heat, heat it through, stirring occasionally (preparing garnishes whilst you wait). 

Garnish

Just before serving you can garnish with some of, or all of these things; Finely diced spring onion, fresh coriander leaves (the more the better), chopped, roasted peanuts, finely sliced, fresh red chilli, swirls of the remaining coconut cream, also several drops of freshly squeezed lime juice tastes so good!

Storage – Keeps covered in the fridge for up to 3 days and freezes well in containers for up to 3 months.

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Print Recipe

Thai Pumpkin Soup

A delicious Thai inspired pumpkin soup made with lemongrass, ginger, garlic, red curry paste and coconut cream

Prep Time30 mins

Cook Time30 mins

Total Time1 hr

Servings: 6

Ingredients

• 1.5 kilos pumpkin around 1.2 kilos without the skin & seeds
• 1 small brown onion or ½ medium-sized
• 3-5 cloves fresh garlic 1 tablespoon when finely diced
• 2 cm piece of fresh ginger 2 teaspoons when grated
• 1 stalk of fresh lemongrass or 2 tablespoons of paste
• 2 tablespoons  sunflower oil or vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 2 tablespoons red curry paste
• 9 cups vegetable stock fresh or made up from powder
• 1 x 270 ml can coconut cream 1 cup + 2 tablespoons
• 1 tablespoon white sugar

Garnish

• Any or all of; fresh lime juice, fresh coriander (cilantro) leaves, fresh chilli slices, spring onion slices & chopped, roasted peanuts.

Instructions

• Peel, deseed and chop up the pumpkin into medium sized pieces.
• Peel and finely dice the onion and the garlic.
• Peel and finely grate the ginger.
• Chop off the root end and the long skinny ends of the lemongrass (if they haven’t already been removed). With the tip of your knife, make a slit right down the stalks and then remove the tougher outer layers. Then bruise them with a rolling pin, a meat tenderiser or the spine of your knife. Finely slice them up and place them with the onion and the garlic. 
• Using a very big saucepan, over a medium heat, melt together the oil and the butter and as soon as they start to bubble add the onion, the ginger and the lemongrass and cook gently for 3 minutes, stirring often. (If they start to brown turn the heat down a little bit.)
• Add the garlic and the curry paste and continue cooking for one more minute.
• Remove it from the heat, add the pumpkin, and stir it all together.
• Pour over the liquid stock or add cups of water mixed with the amount of dry stock recommended on the packet. (The stock should just cover the pumpkin by about 2 ½ cm).
• Return the saucepan to the heat, turn it up to high and bring it to the boil (this will take a while). Once boiling, turn the heat down to medium/low or a temperature to where the soup is just simmering (softly boiling).
• Simmer until the pumpkin can be pierced easily with a knife (around 30 minutes).
• Meanwhile, get the food processor out of the cupboard and place a large colander (or a sievover a very large bowl.
• When the pumpkin is cooked pour it out into the colander so that the pumpkin is sitting in the colander and the liquid has strained through into the bowl underneath.
• Leave it to cool until it and the liquid is at a temperature that you are happy to place into the food processor.
• Once cooled a little, place the pumpkin and 3 cups of the liquid (keep the remaining liquiinto the food processor and process it all until smooth. (You can use a blender but will need to do it in two parts.) (If you have a 'magic kitchen wand' you can return the pumpkin and the 3 cups of liquid to the saucepan and puree it. Then go on to add the coconut cream and the sugar, as below.)
• Return the blended pumpkin back to the saucepan and add the coconut cream (leave aside 2 tablespoons for garnisand the sugar.
• Add some of the remaining stock from the bowl until the soup is the thickness you prefer.
• Over a medium/low heat, heat it through, stirring occasionally (preparing garnishes whilst you wait).
• Just before serving garnish with some of, or all of these things; Finely diced spring onion, fresh coriander leaves (the more the better), chopped, roasted peanuts, finely sliced, fresh red chilli, swirls of the remaining coconut cream, also several drops of freshly squeezed lime juice.
• Keeps covered in the fridge for up to 3 days and freezes well in containers for up to 3 months.