Silky Coconut-Pumpkin Soup
(from jcpenick’s recipe box)
This lush smooth soup from Thai-Lao cuisine lends itself beautifully to a Thanksgiving feast. Large wedges of cooking pumpkin, with pale gray-green skins, are sold in Caribbean and Vietnamese and other Southeast Asian groceries. Choose the pumpkin with the reddest flesh. You can also use North American pumpkin or kabocha squash.
Prep time: 25 minutes
Serves 8 people
Categories: soups
Ingredients
- 6 to 8 shallots, unpeeled
- 3 pounds cooking pumpkin
- 3 c canned or fresh-pressed, unsweetened coconut milk
- 5 c vegetable broth
- 1 1/2 c loosely packed cilantro leaves
- 1 t salt, or to taste
- 3 T Vegetarian Thai fish sauce, or more to taste
- coarsely ground black pepper
- 1/2 c minced scallion greens
Directions
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In a heavy skillet over medium-high heat, or on a charcoal or gas grill, dry-roast the shallots until softened and blackened, about 20 minutes.
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Trim ends, halve lengthwise, and set aside.
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Peel pumpkin and clean out seeds.
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Cut into 1/2-inch cubes. You should have about 4 cups.
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Place the coconut milk and broth in a large pot with the pumpkin, shallots, and cilantro leaves.
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Bring to a boil.
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Add 1 teaspoon salt and simmer over medium heat until pumpkin is tender, about 10 minutes.
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Transfer to a blender or food processor and puree in batches. (The soup can be prepared ahead to this point, cooled to room temperature, and stored in well-sealed containers in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.)
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Just before serving, reheat the soup in a pot over medium heat.
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Stir in veggie fish sauce and cook another 2 minutes.
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Taste and add additional salt or veggie fish sauce if desired.
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Serve soup topped with a generous amount of freshly ground black pepper and a sprinkling of minced scallion greens.