Recipe: Spiced Squash and Coconut Soup.
As we cradled our bowls of steaming stew a friend and I were discussing our veg boxes and laughing about how the roots always get left to accumulate as week by week they are ignored in favour of prepping something more instant.
It doesn’t have to be like this though - In Chinese medicine root veg are particularly healing and I am all for that. I find nothing more comforting than 5 minutes spent prepping a squash, arranging on a pan and dousing in olive oil and some spices. But I forget it every time.
Eying the three squash I already had in my veg basket last week I vowed to do something about them and set about peeling and chopping two of them. I always peel squash first, I know others roast with the skin on but this is just my preference. I then halve and deseed before slicing each half and arranging on a big old chefs pan. Then they’re ready to do something with - it’s such a quick job but one that is fruitful - roast squash for salads, topping a sheet of pastry with some pine nuts and feta, throwing in a curry and of course… soup!
Soup is something I have no interest in in warmer months but the minute the temperature turns and the heating goes on - give me all the soup. Especially a steaming, spicy and autumnal one.
Smoky paprika adds depth and the coconut milk a creamy texture. Top with crumbled feta and mixed seeds and if you can eat it, some crusty bread and proper butter. If not, I love Madeleine Shaw’s quinoa bread recipe for a hearty slice to accompany the soup.
Ingredients.
(makes 3 servings)
1 large squash
1 white onion
1 can coconut milk
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp sumac
Pinch nigella seeds (optional)
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp ground ginger
Good glug of olive oil
Salt & pepper
Method.
Preheat oven to 180°c
Prep your squash by peeling, halving, deseeding and slicing each half around a cm thick, cut each slice into two if very large.
Peel and quarter your onion, no need to dice
Arrange your onion (separating the layers) and squash on a large tray with 3 garlic cloves (I keep skin on) and 1/4 tsp sumac and coat evenly moving everything around on the tray with your hands
Turn oven down to 160°c and roast for one hour
Heat your coconut oil in a large soup pan and once hot throw in your cumin and nigella seeds
Slowly pour in a can of coconut milk (I always use Biona) and stir in, then fill the empty can up with boiling water from the kettle and pour into pan (this acts as both a measure and makes sure you get your moneys worth!)
Sprinkle your stock cube in and stir through
Add the roast veg, ground ginger, seasoning and paprika. Bring to the boil then turn the heat right down and allow to simmer for at least half an hour. Check seasoning and thickness and add more salt/pepper or water as needed
Turn off the heat and allow to cool for half an hour then blitz in a blender or transfer to a large jug or bowl and use a hand blender.
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