Soup for the Fall, Butternut Curry

As the last days of summer play out, we come to my least favorite day of the year: 9/11. I won’t go into any reasons; it should be apparent. Instead, I’ll look to a recipe favored by one of my long-past associates.

This is a light and creamy butternut squash soup recipe. This simple butternut bisque is seasoned with Thai red curry paste and swirled with coconut milk.

While this is written as meatless, my associate would always ask for “toppings,” such as fresh butter and garlic croutons and/or bacon bits. And, of course, this was always served with loaves of freshly baked bread.

Adding more paste can increase the curry taste and kick the spice level. (The choice of pepper can also modify the spice level, as can seeding/not seeding the peppers.)

In memory – Charles “Carlos” Dominguez. I can hear him say, “This is one really messed up first day at a new job.“

From Wikipedia:

Butternut squash (Cucurbita moschata), known in Australia and New Zealand as butternut pumpkin or gramma, is a type of winter squash that grows on a vine. It has a sweet, nutty taste similar to that of a pumpkin. It has tan-yellow skin and orange fleshy pulp with a compartment of seeds in the blossom end. When ripening, the flesh turns increasingly deep orange due to its rich content of beta-carotene, a provitamin A compound.

One of the most common ways to prepare butternut squash is baking. Once cooked, it can be eaten in a variety of ways. The fruit is prepared by removing the skin, stalk, and seeds, which are not usually eaten or cooked. However, the seeds are edible, either raw or roasted, and the skin is also edible and softens when roasted. The seeds can even be roasted and pressed into an oil to create butternut squash seed oil. This oil can be used for roasting, cooking, on popcorn, or as a salad dressing.

Curried Butternut Squash Soup

Butternut squash soup, Thai-Style. Rich, creamy, spicy.

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Total Time 40 minutes mins

Course Main Course, Stew

Cuisine SouthEast Asia, Thai

Servings 4 Large Servings

Calories 354 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 2 tbsp Neutral Oil
• 1 ea Red Onion Large, peeled, chunked to 1/2"
• 3 cups Butternut Squash Get it peeled and chunked
• 1 tbsp Ginger, Grated
• 3 tbsp Thai Red Curry Paste
• 15 oz Coconut Milk 1 can
• 2 cups Broth Veggie or chicken
• 2 tsp Honey
• 1 ea Bell Pepper Washed, Cored chunked to 1/2"
• 1 tbsp Garlic Minced
• 1 ea Jalapeno Stemmed, washed, minced.

Instructions

 

• In a large wok or pan, heat oil over medium-high
• As oil spiders, Add onion and pepper, saute until the onion starts to take color
• Add the curry paste, and cook for 1-2 minutes, coating the veggies
• Add the garlic, ginger, jalapeno and cook until fragrant, ~ 60 sec
• Add the squash and stir to coat
• Add the coconut milk and broth, stir to mix well, adjust thickness with additional broth
• Bring to a boil, drop the heat to medium-low, cover
• Simmer until the squash is fork-tender, 15-20 minutes
• Taste, Season, and balance flavor.

Notes

This is written as a vegetarian dish, so I have excluded any fish sauce, this can be added at the last minute to balance flavors.

One can add minced Thai peppers with the onions and bell pepper for a spicy taste boost.

I’ve used prepared butternut squash here, it is simpler than peeling and chunking up a whole squash, and probably safer as well.

One COULD add protein in the form of chicken with the squash, or shrimp in the last 3-5 minutes of the simmer.

One might float a few croutons in the bowl to change the texture. 

I call out a jalapeno here. Depending on the desired spice level, one can use other peppers. One can also seed or not seed.

Nutrition

Calories: 354kcalCarbohydrates: 21gProtein: 4gFat: 31gSaturated Fat: 21gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0.03gSodium: 490mgPotassium: 614mgFiber: 3gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 13192IUVitamin C: 25mgCalcium: 89mgIron: 5mg

Keyword Butternut, Curry

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