Acorn Squash Soup With Cumin and Curry Leaf |
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Prep Time: 10 Minutes Cook Time: 5 Minutes |
Ready In: 15 Minutes Servings: 2 |
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Subtly spicy and decidedly comforting, this Indian-influenced acorn squash soup makes a great autumn supper with a slice of crusty bread. The recipe came to me when my husband was in bed with a nasty cold, and my refrigerator was almost empty. All I had was an acorn squash, half an onion, peppers from our back porch garden and spices in the cupboard. The soup didn't exactly restore my husband to full health (at least not immediately!), but he did enjoy the soup even with his diminished sense of taste and smell. Ingredients:
1 acorn squash (small to medium) |
1 onion (small) |
4 anaheim chilies (or whatever mild chili peppers you have at hand) |
1 hot green chili pepper |
10 -20 curry leaves (as many as you want, really) |
2 teaspoons cumin seeds |
1/2 tablespoon butter (or vegetable oil for vegetarians) |
Directions:
1. Remove the pulp from the acorn squash and cut into large chunks.
2. Slice the onion. Cut the anaheim peppers in half and remove the seeds. Make a slit on the hot green chili, from top to bottom. (This will release the flavor of the green chili, without making the soup too hot.).
3. Boil about 3 cups of water in a pot and cook the squash pieces until tender. Keep the cooking liquid.
4. While the squash pieces are cooking, melt the butter in another pot. Fry the onions until soft.
5. Add curry leaves, cumin and hot green chili and fry until flagrant, on medium-low heat.
6. Add the peppers and cook until tender, stirring occasionally to prevent the onions from burning.
7. When the squash pieces are cooked through, discard the skin and transfer the meat to the other pot.
8. Add a ladleful of the cooking liquid to the pot, and process everything into a smooth mixture, using a blender. Adjust the texture by adding more of the cooking liquid, if necessary.
9. Season generously with salt and pepper.
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