Pumpkins in all forms and shapes abound in the US from August through December and become an integral part of our meals. Pumpkins are a type of squash and all belong to the the cucurbitaceae family. Some squashes have harder exteriors than others and they have to be baked with the skin on to be able to remove the pulp. Some squashes have softer skin and can be sliced or peeled before cooking. The kuri squash that I have used in this soup had such soft skin that I used it in the soup.

Soup and ski season go together in Colorado and although I do not ski, my daughters do; my husband and I love to drive up to the mountains and walk on the trails. In the past couple of years I have started relying heavily on soups made in slow cookers all through fall and winter. This frees up more time for me to spend outdoors or doing something else.

This beautiful kuri squash was donated to me by an urban farmer couple. This couple has converted a parking lot into a food garden that not only sustained them through the year but they also had enough to donate. I turned the kuri squash into soup and bharta especially since using the skin increased the quantity of squash I could use.

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Step by Step

1. Wash the squash and cut it into half. Remove the strings and seeds and set aside. Discard the strings. The seeds can be washed and roasted in the oven as a topping or can be had as a snack with some salt and pepper.
2. Steam the squash with the skin if it is soft. I steamed all the pieces in a pressure pan (1 whistle). You can do the same in an instant pot (10 mins) or a steamer (till soft).
3. Allow to cool. Mash all the pieces with a fork and save in the fridge for other recipes. I made bharta with some and soup with the rest.
4. Heat a large pan and add 1 Tbsp of oil. Grate some fresh ginger and add it to the oil. Also add 1 Tbsp of red Thai curry paste (store bought). Saute for 30 secs.
5. Add 1/2 cup coconut milk and 1/2 cup water. Bring the mix to a boil. Then add 2 cups of the squash pulp, salt, crushed red chili flakes and some black pepper.
6. Allow the soup to become hot and bubbly over medium heat. Check for consistency, if you think the soup is too thick, you can add more water.
7. Once it is heated through, turn off the heat and squeeze juice of one small lime on it. Stir. Serve topped with roasted pumpkin seeds or roasted and crushed peanuts.

Some Tips

You can adjust the amount of coconut milk based on how coconutty you would like the soup to be. I did not want the coconut taste to overpower the taste of the squash so used only 1/2 c coconut milk, but you can add up to 1 cup.

I used store bought red curry paste and my daughter made her version with the green curry paste and it was extremely delicious as well. Sorry, she forgot to take pictures.

Toss the washed seeds in some olive oil and sprinkle some salt and pepper on them. Roast for 8-10 mins in the oven at 350 degrees. Check often to prevent burning. Store in a glass jar for snacking or use as a topping like I did here.

Similarly, adjust the amount of salt and sugar to your taste.

The kuri squash donated generously sure went a long way and using store bought red curry paste this soup took only a few minutes to make.

Top with oven toasted pumpkin seeds or roasted and crushed peanuts and a dollop of coconut milk and whether you have spent the day whizzing down the slopes or not this is just the perfect bowl of comfort!