Thai Pumpkin Soup

Two handsome pumpkins are dominating our veg patch at the moment.  Finding a recipe to do them justice has been fun and I was inspired by the Hop Pole Inn who made a fantastic pumpkin and sweetcorn soup last weekend.  Here's my more eastern stab at spicing up pumpkin or squash that I will be road testing tomorrow and it's based on a BBC Good Food recipe. 

Ingredients

1½ kg pumpkin or squash, peeled and roughly chopped

4 tsp sunflower oil

1 onion, sliced

1 tbsp grated ginger

1 lemongrass, bashed a little

3-4 tbsp Thai red curry paste

400ml can coconut milk

850ml vegetable stock

lime juice and sugar, for seasoning

1 red chilli, sliced, to serve (optional).

Method

Heat oven to 200C. Toss the pumpkin or squash in a roasting tin with half the oil and seasoning, then roast for 30 minutes until golden and tender.

Meanwhile, put the remaining oil in a pan with the onion, ginger and lemongrass. Gently cook for 8-10 minutes until softened. Stir in the curry paste for 1 minute, followed by the roasted pumpkin, all but 3 tbsp of the coconut milk and the stock. Bring to a simmer, cook for 5 minutes, then take out the lemongrass. Cool for a few minutes, then whizz until smooth with a hand blender. Return to the pan to heat through, seasoning with salt, pepper, lime juice and sugar, if it needs it. Serve drizzled with the remaining coconut milk and scattered with chilli, if you like.  I know I will.