Pumpkins are not just for Jack O’ Lanterns or pumpkin pie. No sir! Pumpkins are utterly delicious. You may remember my recent pumpkin & pecan mash on this blog. This time I have turned the humble – and cheap – pumpkin into an aromatic dish for Halloween.
Now, don’t be afraid of pumpkin. They look big and intimidating, but roast it in quarters with the skin on and you can scoop lovely soft flesh out which is perfect for soup. Not only is this the easy way, it is also the best for flavour, the water evaporates off and you are left with something far more pumpkin-y than before.
Lemongrass, with its gorgeous citrus high notes, is wonderful with pumpkin. Some chilli is required for a Halloween soup – it has to be a little scary – and to round it all off some lovely fresh ginger. If you haven’t used lemongrass before, worry not. It’s also easy when you know how and is very easy to source these days too in most supermarkets. Simply peel the outer rough leaves – usually about two – and shred finely.
Now, if you’re ever feeling poorly, this soup – minus the chilli – will do wonders for your tum. It’s very gentle and soothing and the lemongrass will pep you up, although maybe reduce it to one lemongrass stalk. Pumpkin itself is an anti-oxidant powerhouse and is rich in B vitamins too. If you are watching your weight, pumpkin is very low in calories. So, it is a winner all around, wouldn’t you agree?
Recipe on iVillage: Spritely Halloween pumpkin soup with lemongrass, chilli & ginger | iVillage UK
That looks delicious Niamh, very seasonal and warming, with the herbs and spices to pep it up.
Cheers
Marcus
I’ve been thinking about making something with pumpkin, this sounds great! I love that you’ve given it a spicy kick.
I love Pumpkin. We grow it every year and you need to be creative in how you ‘use’ it because it takes over the garden! I like this recipe and would think — even with the chilis — it would warm the cockles of your heart if feeling poorly.
I would have chilli too but I am a chilli fiend :)
This soup looks wickedly tempting with its devilishly drizzle of cream. Halloween to me always makes me think of the masses of pumpkin and squashes that start to become available. I only hope that your recipe helps tempt people out of the normality of adorning thier pumpkins with intricate designs and instead giving them as much love as they would a parsnip or a carrot and turn them into something as delectable as this.
Ps please accept my late congratulations on your win at the OMF awards, it was well and truely called for :)
Thanks Amy! x
This looks wonderful and the addition of ginger and chilli sounds devine!
Just gorgeous. Perfect dinner now there’s a nip that’s entered the air at night.
anything with pumpkin… amazing! Can’t wait to try this!
that looks delicious! I really like the southeast asian twist on pumpkin soup, reminds me of home (:
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I love a good pumpkin recipe. Roasting in big wedges with the skin on is the way forward.
I just love pumpkin- was leaving Dunnes the other night with my cart laden with pumpkins (the smallies were only a euro) and bumped into a friend and she wondered why I had so many. First of all due to old American habits – more is better when it comes to pumpkins so Iove stacking them on the front step but then the little ones get turned into soup- or roasted and mixed into couscous. The think I find frustrating is the second Halloween is over – they take them out of the store so I go through a seasonal panic to get chunks into the freezer for the future. Definitely going to try this recipe- sounds fabulous.
I bought lots from a farm in West Cork – via a friend – when I lived there. There are ways around it! Sadly can’t remember the farm though as it was 10 years ago.
This soup sounds great.
We grow lots of pumpkins in the allotment, and always store a large one for family meals at Xmas.
Our version of pumpkin soup is very similar, but adds coconut milk (low fat!) and lots of lime zest and juice for a Thai flavour.
Hi Tim. I use coconut milk in another recipe too – in my book – wanted this to be pure pumpkin though :) Would love to grow my own!
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