RECIPES
SPICED ROASTED KABOCHA SQUASH SOUP WITH COCONUT MILK AND SPROUTS
By Huong (@huongryeats)
FEBRUARY 24, 2022
Often when people talk about squash soups, they think of butternut. For Huong, it is kabocha, cubed, with ground pork in a rich, clear broth.
"It wasn’t until well into adulthood that I even tried a pureed version of any soup (think pea soups, etc.). So I wanted to try and merge the best of both types of soups into one–the thickness and creaminess of a pureed one and the rich spices and healing powers of the kind I grew up with. I garnished this with some coconut milk and sprouts (for my cilantro-averse people)," said Huong.
Prep Time: 15 mins
Cook Time: 90 mins
Total Time: 1 hr 45 min
Serving Size: 4–6
Ingredients
| 1 | medium kabocha squash, seeded |
| 2 ½ tbsp | You You Tea Seed Oil |
| 2 cups | onions, chopped |
| 5 cloves | garlic, chopped (about 1 tbsp) |
| 2 tbsp | fresh ginger, grated |
| 1 ¼ tsp | ground cumin |
| ½ tsp | ground coriander |
| 4 cups | chicken stock |
| 1 can | coconut milk |
| 2 tsp | salt |
| ¼ tsp | pepper |
Optional Garnishes & Sides
| Garnish | Sprouts, cilantro, or other kinds of herbs to garnish |
| Sides | Rustic bread & oil to make toasty sides |
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400° F. Using a cleaver (or heavier knife), cut the kabocha into larger slices. This can be kind of hard, so put a towel under your cutting board for some stability. Some folks also microwave the squash for about a minute to soften the outer skin. Scoop out the seeds and strings inside. Place the squash on a roasting pan and rub the oil over the sides and sprinkle with salt. It helps to put the skin side up to soften that, but you can also lay them however it works. Roast them for about 45 minutes until tender and caramelized on the edges. Remove from the oven and let them sit.
- Heat the oil on medium high heat in a pan. Add the onions and lower the heat to medium heat; cook until soft–about 8-10 minutes. Then add the garlic, ginger, coriander, and cumin. Cook for another 2 minutes.
- Once the squash is cool, remove the skin and discard it. Place the squash in a pot with the onion mixture; add stock, salt, and pepper, and increase the heat to high to bring the soup to a simmer. Add in your coconut milk, but save a bit for garnishing after. Lower the heat to low and cook for 8-10 minutes.
- Remove from heat and use an immersion blender or standing blender (work in batches for the latter) to puree the soup. Add in more salt to taste, and garnish as you’d like. If you want the soup to maintain the vibrant color of the squash, don’t mix in the coconut milk and just use it as a garnish after for a touch of that freshness. Make some toasty bread on the side by laying it on heated Tea Seed Oil for 2-3 minutes each side.
