Thai Pumpkin Soup

Ingredients

• 1½ kg Pumpkin
• 4 tsp Sunflower Oil
• 1 Onion
• 1 tbsp Ginger
• 1 stalk Lemongrass
• 4 tbsp Thai Red Curry Paste
• 400 ml Coconut Milk
• 800 ml Vegetable broth
• 1 tbsp Lime juice (optional)
• 1 tsp Sugar (optional)
• 1 Red Chili (optional)
• ½ tsp Salt (optional)
• ¼ tsp Black Pepper (optional)

Steps

1. Preheat oven to 200C (180C fan/gas 6). Toss the pumpkin with half the sunflower oil, salt, and pepper in a roasting tin, then roast for 30 minutes until golden and tender.
2. Meanwhile, heat the remaining oil in a large pot. Add the onion, ginger, and lemongrass, and cook gently for 8-10 minutes until softened.
3. Stir in the Thai red curry paste for 1 minute, then add the roasted pumpkin, 370ml of the coconut milk (reserving 30ml for garnish), and the vegetable broth.
4. Bring the soup to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes. Remove the lemongrass stalk.
5. Allow the soup to cool slightly, then blend until smooth using a hand blender or in batches in a regular blender.
6. Return the soup to the pot to heat through. Season with lime juice and sugar to taste, if needed.
7. Serve the soup drizzled with the reserved coconut milk and scattered with sliced red chili, if desired.