Thai Pumpkin Soup

My friend Simon recently had to have surgery on his face and couldn't eat anything but soup. I took this as an opportunity to make my favourite pumpkin soup. Because its summer soup isn't really on my agenda but this one is perfect even in the heat!

I love having it really spicy and chunky because often people label soup as not a real meal but this one will definitely satisfy you.

Thai Pumpkin soup

1 small pumpkin peels and chopped into small pieces

2 onions (diced)

6 cloves of garlic (finely diced)

3-5 chilis (depending on how hot you want it)

1tbsp grated ginger

2 tsp vege stock powder

1 can coconut cream

Split red lentils (optional)

1/3 c fresh coriander

2tbsp lime juice

Boil the pumpkin until it is soft (Can also microwave it). Fry up the onions, garlic, chilli and ginger until soft and fragrant. Using a potato masher or a whizz stick break down the pumpkin (leaving most of the water it was boiled in- how much depends on how thin you want it). I tend to leave a few lumps in the soup but if you like it smooth then whizz it lots- careful it can get messy! Add the onion mixture and mix well. Simmer soup for a while until you feel all the flavours have mixed. Add a can of coconut cream, the stock and half the coriander finely chopped. Mix every couple of minutes. If the soup is too runny you can add some split red lentil to thicken it. After about 20mins the soup should be ready and the lentils cooked. Add the rest of the coriander, the lime juice and if you want a little more ginger.

If the soup is very thick it is nice to serve with rice. I like to drizzle some coconut cream on top and eat it with bread. YUM!

Simon said it was the best soup he had receoved and he'd gotten about 4 kinds of soups so I'm pretty stoked with that critique.