Firecracker Roasted Pumpkin, Split Pea and Coconut Soup
Firecracker Roasted Pumpkin, Split Pea and Coconut Soup

Firecracker Roasted Pumpkin, Split Pea and Coconut Soup

  • Prep time:

  • Cook time:

  • Total time:

  • Portion/Yield:

    Serves 8

  • Difficulty:

    Easy

Sumptuous and warming soup recipe perfect for a cold wintery day. The spices with the pumpkin works brilliantly and the coconut milk calms it all down and provide a deliciously rounded taste. I like cooking pumpkins and butternut squash with the skin and all, this  not only saves time but also provides extra fibre, goodness and taste. Enough reason not to peel them then! The seeds are equally as delicious if roasted them in the oven along with dried crushed chillies and sea salt. This makes a tasty snack on its own and a nifty and smart garnish for my delicious soup.photo of Firecracker Roasted Pumpkin, Split Pea and Coconut Soupphoto of Firecracker Roasted Pumpkin, Split Pea and Coconut Soupphoto of Firecracker Roasted Pumpkin, Split Pea and Coconut Soup

Ingredients & Method

Roasted Pumpkin and Coconut Soup

  • 700g fresh pumpkin, roughly diced (with the skin on if it's thin and soft), remove the seeds
  • 2 tablespoons rapeseed oil
  • Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper
  • 1 medium chilli, deseeded, roughly chopped
  • 1 stick of lemongrass, roughly chopped
  • 20g fresh ginger, peeled
  • 1 clove of garlic crushed
  • 150g banana shallot, sliced
  • 100g celery, wash and sliced
  • 10g coriander roots and stalks, washed
  • 25ml fish sauce, squid brand
  • 100g yellow split peas soaked over night
  • 1.5L water
  • 400ml coconut milk

Coconut and Coriander Pesto

  • 80g coriander, washed
  • 10g toasted dessicated coconut
  • 1 clove of garlic, crushed
  • 5g fresh ginger, peeled and grated
  • Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper
  • 80ml rapeseed oil

Preheat the oven to 200 °C.

Mix the diced pumpkin with half the oil and seasoning, spread on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and roast for 30 minutes until golden brown in the preheated oven.

Place the chilli, chopped lemongrass, shallot, ginger, garlic, celery, coriander roots and fish sauce in a blender and puree until smooth.

Heat a large saucepan with the remaining oil and gently fry the chilli and shallot paste for about 5 minutes, add the drained soaked yellow split peas and saute for a further 2 minutes. Add the water and bring the soup to a gentle simmer, cover the saucepan with a lid, simmer for 10 minutes.

Add the roasted diced pumpkin, bring the soup back to the simmer, cover the pan with a lid and gently simmer the soup for a further 40 minutes, stir the soup occasionally.

Add the coconut milk, bring the soup back to the boil and simmer for further 5 minutes. Blend the soup until smooth, adjust the seasoning if needed and let the soup down with a little water if it’s too thick for your liking.

While the soup is cooking make the pesto, place all the ingredients in a blender with seasoning and blend, leaving the mixture slightly coarse. Transfer the mixture to a clean container and keep refrigerated until needed. This pesto will last for one week in the fridge.

To serve make sure the soup is boiling hot, serve in bowls with the pesto.