With the days cooling down, I have been craving warming curry flavors and something cozy for some time now. Something creamy and coconutty and smooth, with a touch of Indian spices. I had some squashes left over from my Winter Squash Roundup post not long ago and wanted to use them, and whipped this up.  I have made soups like this countless times before and so this came together really easily and turned out better than my expectations. I am obsessed with this mom and pop spice company, called Pondicherry Dry Goods , a husband and wife team doing big things in terms of supporting regenerative agriculture and sustainability and have created these amazing, chef crafted spice blends called podis. I sprinkled their Fresh Curry Leaf Podi , all over this beautiful, flavor rich but delicate soup. The podi is made up of curry leaves, lentils, mustard seeds, pepper, fenugreek, garlic, and tamarind and added so much depth to the soup with just a dash.

The soup is simple, onions, garlic, ginger, vegetable broth or water, coconut milk, some spices and the beta-carotene rich, burnt orange colored Kabocha squash. No need to peel the squash unless you really want to because you are trying to minimize lectins in your diet. I love how easy this soup is and how perfectly warming and satisfying it is. Gorgeous color too.  Enjoy a big pot of it with the family during tree trimming or your holiday rituals. And have fun with your garnishes. 

Makes 8-10 servings/ preparation time 15 minutes/ cooking time 30 minutes/ total time 45 minutes

Gather 

3 tablespoons / 44 .36 ml avocado oil

1 medium size yellow onion, chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

1, 1-inch/ 2.54 cm piece of ginger, peeled and minced

1 medium Kabocha or Kuri squash, about 5 cups/700 grams, cut into bite size chunks

3 teaspoons / 12.6 g curry powder

6 cups/1419 ml water or vegetable broth

1 13.5 fl oz/398 ml can coconut milk

2 teaspoons / 9.86 ml Ume plum vinegar or lemon juice

Salt to taste

Fresh cracked pepper to taste

Make

Heat avocado oil in a large pot on medium heat. Add onions and cook for 5 minutes until they are translucent, stirring frequently. Stir in the garlic and ginger and cook for another minute. Add the squash pieces and then the curry powder until everything is nicely coated with the curry powder. Add the water or broth and cover and bring to a boil. Then lower the heat, and simmer tilting the lid to the side so a little air can come in while the soup cooks. Cook for 25 minutes until the squash is fork tender when poked. Add the coconut milk. Puree the soup in a high speed blender (if possible) until the soup is smooth and creamy. Transfer back to the pot and add the Ume plum vinegar or lemon juice salt and pepper to taste. Pour into individual bowls and garnish with chopped cilantro, a drizzle of mustard oil or chili oil, toasted cumin seeds or if you can get it, the fresh curry leaf podi from Pondicherry Dry Goods.

Recipe developed by Anna Getty

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