Thai Kabocha Squash Soup
Author: 
Serves: 6, Makes about 8 Cups of Soup
 
Ingredients
  • 1 3-4 pound kabocha squash, washed, quartered and seeds removed
  • 1 onion, peeled and thinly sliced
  • ½ Tablespoon fresh, peeled ginger, thinly sliced
  • Optional: 2 Tablespoons pure maple syrup, plus more to taste if you want a bit of sweetness
  • 4 cups chicken or vegetable stock, preferably homemade, divided
  • 2 Tablespoons red curry paste
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt (you will need to double this if your stock is unsalted)
  • ¾ cup full-fat coconut milk, plus more for finishing
  • 2 limes, cut into thirds
  • handful fresh cilantro or mint leaves, sliced
  • 2 red chiles (either Thai or Fresno,) sliced
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Place the squash pieces cut side up in a roasting pan. Divide the ginger slices and maple syrup evenly amongst the squash cavities. Arrange the onion slices around the squash. Pour 2 cups of stock in the pan and cover tightly with foil. Bake for 90 minutes until squash is very tender.
  3. Remove the pan from the oven and allow the vegetables to cool slightly or enough that you can handle them. Scoop the squash pulp from the skins and transfer to a large soup pot. Discard skins. To the soup pot add the onions, ginger (if desired, but this will add strong ginger flavor to the soup) and cooking liquid from the pan.
  4. Add the remaining 2 cups of stock, curry paste, sea salt and coconut milk to the soup pot. Stir well and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer, uncovered for 10 minutes.
  5. Puree the soup until smooth in the pot with an immersion blender or in batches in a blender. Taste for seasoning and add additional salt and/or maple syrup as desired.
  6. Ladle soup into bowls and drizzle each with a tablespoon of coconut milk, generous squeeze of lime, herbs and sliced red chiles.
Recipe by Pamela Salzman at https://pamelasalzman.com/thai-kabocha-squash-soup-recipe/