Ann's Blog
Hog Island, Grenada:
June 17, 2010
Currying Favor with Chilled Pumpkin Soup
A glorious sunny morning with an almost nonexistent breeze, which means it’s going to be killer-hot in a few hours: A perfect day for a cold soup for lunch…especially since we’re out of bread for sandwiches. Happily, I have a wedge of pumpkin in the fridge just begging to be used, so my Chilled Curried Pumpkin Soup with Ginger gets the nod.
I promised to post this recipe weeks ago; at long last, here it is. If you don’t have access to West Indian pumpkin, you can substitute butternut squash, which has a similar texture and taste. The ginger gives it a nice kick – as does “Raja Jahan Special Madras Curry” (a brand of the Trinidadian company Turban), one of my favorite packaged curry powders.
Chilled Curried Pumpkin Soup with Ginger
a squirt bottle) makes the perfect garnish.
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp butter
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
2 tsp curry powder
1 lb West Indian pumpkin (or butternut squash), cut into cubes
2–3 small carrots, peeled and chopped
2 green onions, chopped
2 ½ cups vegetable stock
freshly ground black pepper
salt
¼ cup cream or yogurt (for garnishing)
1. Heat butter and oil in a large pot. Cook onion, garlic, and ginger for a few minutes until softened and fragrant, but not brown.
2. Stir in curry and cook for a couple more minutes, then toss in pumpkin, carrots, and green onions. Continue cooking for a couple more minutes, stirring the vegetables so they are coated in the curry mixture.
3. Add stock and bring to a boil. Lower heat, cover, and continue cooking for 30 minutes (approx.) until pumpkin and carrots are soft. Taste for seasoning, and adjust as necessary.
4. Puree soup until smooth. Chill for several hours.
5. When ready to serve, pour into bowls and swirl about 1 tbsp of cream or yogurt into each bowl.
Serves 4.
Tip: When the weather isn’t quite so toasty, this soup is delicious hot, too.
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