Thursday, October 7, 2010

AFRO-MEXICAN PUMPKIN SOUP


I can't quite decide which cuisine this soup is trying to represent. There's plenty of cinnamon, cumin and chickpeas which make it a little bit African but there's also coriander, lime and brown sugar which make it Mexican. The Thai curry paste complicates it further. Oh well, the soup is lovely, and that's the main thing.

Another thing that's impossible to define is the amount of servings. This can make four servings for some not-so-hungry people, but also just two for a hungry, lonely man as I discovered last weekend.

I'm not a big fan of soups or peanut butter and I used to hate coriander (cilantro) so if I call this soup lovely, it's a huge praise. Actually, I think this recipe is what made me like coriander but we still call it Fairy herb because it tastes a bit like washing-up liquid. Maybe I just like Fairy.

I adapted the recipe from this one. I make it very often and don't measure anything but have a look at the original if you need more specific instructions.


Afro-Mexican pumpkin soup

A big chunk of lard for frying. Use ghee if the thought of lard is unpleasant. Oil will burn.
A heaped teaspoon of red curry paste.
2ml cinnamon
5ml cumin
Chilli powder to taste
Several garlic cloves, at least 4
Two peppers, or some leftover bits equivalent to two whole ones.
Boiling water
A big chunk of pumpkin or butternut squash, I'd say about 500g.
Two very heaped spoonfuls of peanut butter. As much as you can hold on a tablespoon.
A tin of chickpeas, drained.
A heaped tablespoon of brown sugar
Juice of one lime
Salt to taste.
A big handful of chopped coriander (cilantro).

Fry the spices and garlic. Add peppers and fry for a minute. Add water, pumpkin and peanut butter.




Boil until the pumpkin is tender. Mix until the froth created by the peanut butter has dissolved and add chickpeas. Mash the soup roughly and add remaining ingredients. Add more chilli if needed. Stir until the sugar and salt dissolve and serve.



Some coriander.

And a bit more.

Notice how there's ice crystals on the coriander. I buy it in big bunches, chop it up, and freeze it.

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