and 
(along with other things that came from oil- and sauce-spotted containers, icing-stickied paper sacs, and lidded plastic cups which barely contained melted sugary goo topped with more sugary goo),
It's time for a bit of temple food after a week--and more specifically a weekend--of semi-hedonistic cavorting with old and new friends. More veggies, less meat. More roasting and steaming, less frying.
My week is still busy, so the simplest thing for me to pull together as part of my recentring was a pot of curried roasted squash soup. Like most soups (and most things I cook), I made it on the fly. I roasted the squash when I got home, let it cool overnight and made the soup the next night, after work. The end result was sweet and spicy, creamy with a bit of an edge. Exactly what my body craved.
Curried Roasted Squash Soup
Yield approx 1.5-2L, depending upon how thick you like your soup.
Ingredients
1 acorn squash (pepper squash), approx 1kg (2lbs)
a little oil for frying
1tsp (rounded) (6-7ml) curry powder
0.5tsp (2.5ml) turmeric
1 onion, finely chopped
0.5 thumb (2.5cm/1") ginger, grated
2 garlic cloves minced
water
0.5tsp (2.5ml) Worcestershire sauce
1tsp (5ml) vinegar
salt
black pepper
chilli pepper (to taste)
Optional:
finely chopped coriander leaf or flat leaf parsley, for garnish
sour cream, for garnish
Method
Preheat oven to 170C/325F. Lightly oil a foil-lined cookie tray.
Cut the squash in half. Scoop out the pulp and seeds.
Place the squash halves, cut-side down, on the oiled foil-lined tray and bake for about an hour or until the flesh is fork tender.
Remove from oven and let cool. When the squash is cool enough to handle, peel off and discard the rind. Chop the flesh into large chunks.
Fry the curry powder and turmeric in oil until fragrant. Add the onions, coat with the curry mixture, and cook until soft and translucent. Stir in the ginger and garlic until they release their oils.
Add the chunks of cooked squash, and give the pot's contents a good turn or two with a spoon. Pour in enough water to cover the squash. Turn up the heat and let the contents come to a boil for about 10 minutes. Turn the flame down to a simmer, lid the pod and let blurble for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
By this point the squash should easily yield to the pressure of a wooden spoon, if not have totally disintegrated. Either mash the squash, blitz with a hand whizzer, or puree the soup, in batches in a blender.
Return the soup to the pot. Over a flame, thin with more water to a desired consistency. Stir in Worcestershire sauce and vinegar. Add salt, pepper and chilli powder (if using) to taste.
If you wish, serve with a dollop of sour cream, chopped coriander leaf or parsley.
cheers!
Yield approx 1.5-2L, depending upon how thick you like your soup.
Ingredients
1 acorn squash (pepper squash), approx 1kg (2lbs)
a little oil for frying
1tsp (rounded) (6-7ml) curry powder
0.5tsp (2.5ml) turmeric
1 onion, finely chopped
0.5 thumb (2.5cm/1") ginger, grated
2 garlic cloves minced
water
0.5tsp (2.5ml) Worcestershire sauce
1tsp (5ml) vinegar
salt
black pepper
chilli pepper (to taste)
Optional:
finely chopped coriander leaf or flat leaf parsley, for garnish
sour cream, for garnish
Method
Preheat oven to 170C/325F. Lightly oil a foil-lined cookie tray.
Cut the squash in half. Scoop out the pulp and seeds.
Place the squash halves, cut-side down, on the oiled foil-lined tray and bake for about an hour or until the flesh is fork tender.
Remove from oven and let cool. When the squash is cool enough to handle, peel off and discard the rind. Chop the flesh into large chunks.
Fry the curry powder and turmeric in oil until fragrant. Add the onions, coat with the curry mixture, and cook until soft and translucent. Stir in the ginger and garlic until they release their oils.
Add the chunks of cooked squash, and give the pot's contents a good turn or two with a spoon. Pour in enough water to cover the squash. Turn up the heat and let the contents come to a boil for about 10 minutes. Turn the flame down to a simmer, lid the pod and let blurble for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
By this point the squash should easily yield to the pressure of a wooden spoon, if not have totally disintegrated. Either mash the squash, blitz with a hand whizzer, or puree the soup, in batches in a blender.
Return the soup to the pot. Over a flame, thin with more water to a desired consistency. Stir in Worcestershire sauce and vinegar. Add salt, pepper and chilli powder (if using) to taste.
If you wish, serve with a dollop of sour cream, chopped coriander leaf or parsley.
cheers!
jasmine
Oh yum! Perfect for a cold Boston day. Thank you
ReplyDeleteThis was FABULOUS! I added chicken breast and used butternut squash instead of acorn. But the whole curry + squash idea was a hit!
ReplyDelete