Slim Pumpkin and Coconut
Cream Soup
Pumpkin has a particular affinity with
coconut cream, and so is superb in coconut-based curries and soups
like this one. Golden sweet potato is equally as good. If you
cannot obtain fresh kaffir limes to garnish the soup, use lime
zest in its place, to finish the soup with bright, citrus taste
highlights.
6 cups (1-3/4 pounds) peeled and cubed
pumpkin
2 cups White Vegetable Stock or water
1/2-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled
1 tbsp chopped lemongrass
2 shallots, bulbs only, finely sliced
2 cups lite coconut cream
1-1/3 tsp salt
1/4 tsp white pepper
Freshly squeezed lime or lemon juice, to taste
2 fresh kaffir lime leaves, or very finely shredded zest of 1small
fresh lime
In a saucepan, combine the pumpkin, stock or
water, ginger, and lemongrass. Cover, bring to a boil, reduce the
heat to medium-low, and simmer until the pumpkin is very tender,
about 12 minutes. Add the scallions and cook briefly.
Transfer the contents of the saucepan to a
blender or food processor and process until the soup is partially
pureed. Pour in half of the coconut cream and process until
smooth.
Rinse the saucepan and pour the puree into
it. Add half of the remaining coconut cream. Season with salt and
pepper and heat through without allowing the soup to boil. Taste
and adjust the seasoning and squeeze in lime or lemon juice.
If using the kaffir lime leaves, fold them
in half and, using a sharp knife, trim away the hard central rib.
Cut the leaves into threadlike shreds. Ladle the soup into bowls,
add the remaining coconut cream, forming a swirl on top of each
bowl, and garnish with the lime leaf or zest. |
