Pumpkin Soup
Butternut Pumpkin Soup with Ginger and Chili
This delightful winter warmer of a pumpkin soup recipe is easy to make. Butternut squash has a similar rich orange color to pumpkin so this soup is still as bright and colorful as pumpkin soup without the squash. This velvety butternut pumpkin soup is topped with toasted coconut for an exotic flavor, which goes very nicely with the overall vegetable flavor of this soup. Toasted coconut is simple to make and you can bake it in a medium hot oven until it is golden, aromatic, and looking delicious.
If you want to toast the coconut in the microwave instead of baking it, you can put it in a flameproof glass dish or on a paper plate and cook it uncovered on high for a couple of minutes. Stir it and cook for another three minutes, then stir it every minute, cooking until it is evenly golden.
This soup is traditionally enjoyed in the fall because of the seasonal nature of pumpkins but if you buy plenty and freeze the baked pumpkin flesh, you can thaw it to make this delicious pumpkin soup recipe any time in the year. Using pumpkin puree is another option but fresh pumpkin is nicer.
Butternut Squash and Pumpkin Soup with a Toasted Coconut Topping
Ingredients -
1 large pumpkin
1 butternut squash
2 onions
1 inch fresh ginger, peeled and grated
2 tablespoons olive oil
5 cloves garlic
4 cups vegetable bouillon
½ teaspoon chili powder
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup grated coconut
Preparation:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Chop the onion and garlic and fry them together in half the olive oil until soft. Cut open the butternut squash and the pumpkin and remove the seeds.
Put them skin side down on a baking tray. Rub the rest of the olive oil over them and sprinkle some salt and pepper over them and roast the vegetables for about 25 minutes or until they are tender.
Scoop out the butternut squash and pumpkin pulp and put them in a big pan with the softened onions and garlic.
Pour in the bouillon and simmer the soup for an hour.
Meanwhile, make the toasted coconut.
Spread the coconut over an ungreased baking pan and bake it for 30 to 40 minutes at 300 degrees F until golden.
Add the chili and ginger to the pumpkin soup and blend with a hand blender until smooth.
Serve immediately, topped with the toasted coconut.
(Serves 8)
Photo Description:
This photo shows a creamy, velvety butternut pumpkin soup, garnished with toasted coconut. This is a simple yet perfect appetizer lunch with contrasting colors and textures. The coconut adds a new flavor and texture dimension and the bright orange color is immediately appetizing and makes you want to reach for a spoon immediately. Thanks to the rich orange pumpkin color, classic pumpkin soup is one of those dishes which looks as good as it tastes. This recipe is accented with chili and garlic for a warming kick. These flavors are also great with the toasted coconut garnish.
