Pumpkin Spice Curry Soup

I'm not sure I need another Thai curry recipe but I made this recipe over the weekend and it was very hardy and satisfying. This was a recipe in our newspaper and when I read it, I thought “I like the idea of eating pumpkin spice soup this time of year” (and a lot more healthy than pumpkin spice lattes...although, I like them, too!)  I don't have a soup recipe like this one but I have other similar recipes like this Thai Red Lentil Curry & Spinach which we also recently had for dinner. I think it must be the time of year for warm, spicy meals. And then there's my Basil Red Curry Salmon that's one of my favorite salmon recipes. These two recipes both use Thai Kitchen's red curry paste and this Pumpkin Spice Soup also uses it. It's a super easy way to make a meal pop with flavor.

                                                     

It also comes in a green curry paste that I've used in my Thai Chicken Green Curry dish which is also super good and uses bok choy.  This soup doesn't have vegetables in it and is more of a cream soup using canned pumpkin puree, appropriate for this time of year, and the cream is actually coconut milk cream often used in Thai cooking.  It smells so good when you cook this recipe.  Bruce was working in the yard when I made it and he said he could smell it all the way down the street.  He said our house smelled like a restaurant so, I'd say that's a reason right there to make this recipe!  I added some protein, some cooked chicken breast that I shredded but it would also taste good just as a simple plain cream soup.  I was able to taste-test it on my friend who came over to practice our ukuleles together which we do periodically.  Last month, we went to the Reno Ukulele Festival so we're still charged up about that.  We went last year, too, and now we're both getting to know so many of the instructors and national stars in the ukulele scene.  It's a whole new world out there!  She bought herself a new ukulele while we were there and loves it so much she can hardly put it down. 

I was happy to be making this new soup recipe when she came over and after practicing together, we worked up a decent appetite for soup. I served it with some cornbread and sliced pears which are super sweet in the stores right now, both complimented this spicy soup well on a cold, wet evening.

Servings: 4

1 Tbsp. butter

1 small yellow onion, chopped

2 tsp. curry powder

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

¼ teaspoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon ground allspice

1 tsp. garlic, minced

4 ounces red curry paste

2 cans pumpkin puree

1 quart chicken stock

1 can full-fat coconut milk

Shredded chicken breast (optional)

Pumpkin seeds, for topping (optional)

Sour cream, for topping (optional)

1.  In a heavy-bottomed pot, melt butter and add onion, curry powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger and allspice. Saute on medium heat until onions are translucent and spices are fragrant, about 3 to 4 minutes.

2.  Add minced garlic and curry paste. Saute until everything is incorporated, 1 to 2 minutes.

                                            

3.  Add pumpkin puree and chicken stock to the pot.  And this mixture to a blender and blend until smooth.  Add back to the pot.

4.  Add coconut milk and cook for an additional 10 minutes on medium-high heat.

Options:  Add cooked, shredded chicken breast for added protein.  

               Garnish with pumpkin seeds or a drizzle of sour cream.

                                            Serve and Enjoy!