Curry pumpkin soup with chicken skewers

Pumpkin soup:
800g butternut pumpkin, peeled & chopped
1 apple, peeled & chopped
100g shallots (or a small onion), chopped
1 garlic clove, chopped
1 small carrot, chopped
4 tablespoons butter
1 pinch paprika
1 teaspoon curry powder (or more to taste)
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
1 litre chicken broth
1 can coconut milk, or else a good few shakes of coconut milk powder
black pepper

Chicken:
2 chicken breasts
5 skewers
peanut oil
4 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons chilli jam or sweet chilli sauce
1 teaspoon sesame seeds

Fry shallots, garlic and carrots in butter, add pumpkin and apple together with paprika, curry, and ginger. Add chicken broth and simmer for 20 min. Add coconut milk, puree and season to taste.

Cut chicken into 1cm cubes and thread onto skewers. Fry in peanut oil, and deglaze in soy sauce. Brush over with chilli jam/sweet chilli sauce and coat with sesame seeds.

Serve soup in bowls, and place two chicken skewers over each bowl. Serve.

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What do the food critics say? Is there any more? Well, except for Lukan, but he did eat one bowl willingly. If you count "three spoonfuls of soup for one piece of cheese" as "willingly".
What does the cook say? The peeling and chopping is a bit of a pain, but it's otherwise easy and fancy looking enough to serve at a dinner party. I used a Thai marinade for the chicken though (coconut milk, ginger, garlic, chopped onion, fish sauce, fresh & ground coriander, cumin) and grilled the skewers instead of frying them. I also think less coconut milk for the soup is better - enough so you can taste it, but not so much out drowns out the more subtle ginger.

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Adapted from a recipe book at the house we stayed in on the Canary Islands.

Cold Zucchini Soup

6 medium-large zucchini, cut into chunks
1 large onion
1 teaspoon curry powder
4 cups vegetable broth
1 ½ cups buttermilk or yoghurt
1 teaspoon salt
pepper to taste

Combine zucchini, onion, broth, curry, and salt in a large soup pot. Bring to a boil and simmer for about 30 minutes or until zucchini is soft. Turn off heat and blend. Add the buttermilk or yogurt and season to taste. Refrigerate until cold.

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Squash-Apple Soup with Thai Red Curry

2 teaspoons olive oil
1 small butternut pumpkin, peeled, seeded and cubed (about 4 cups)
1 apple, cored, peeled and diced
2 leeks, white part only, washed and sliced
1 small carrot, peeled and sliced
½ stalk celery, finely chopped
1 T chopped fresh basil
2 teaspoons Thai red curry paste
4 cups basic vegetable stock
2 cups water
1 T brown sugar
2 teaspoons sea salt or more to taste
thinly sliced chives
Thin strips of orange zest

In a 4-quart saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the squash, apple, leeks, carrot, celery, and basil and cook, stirring often, until the vegetables are softened; do not brown.

Add the curry paste and cook, stirring constantly, for one minute.

Add the stock, water, brown sugar, and salt. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 45 minutes, or until the vegetables are very soft.

Cool for 30 minutes, then puree until absolutely smooth.

Reheat and taste for seasoning, adding salt if needed. Serve very hot, with a sprinkling of chives and orange zest, if desired.

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Cauliflower and Potato Curry

1 medium cauliflower
2 medium potatoes
3 T cooking oil
1 t cumin seeds
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, chopped
½ t cayenne pepper (or less if you don’t want it spicy)
1 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 t salt
1 medum-size tomato, chopped
3/4 cup good quality yogurt or coconut milk
2 T fresh corriander, chopped

Cut cauliflower into medium-size florets. Peel and cut potatoes into ½ inch cubes.

Heat oil on medium heat in a nonstick frying pan. Add cumin seeds and fry for a few seconds. Stir in ginger, chili powder, and turmeric powder.

Reduce heat to medium-high. Add cauliflower, potatoes, and salt. Mix well so the vegetables are coated with spices. Cover and cook on medium heat, stirring occasionally.

When cooked (potatoes should easily break with slight pressure), add tomatoes. Cook another 2 minutes or until tomatoes become soft and liquid is absorbed.

Add yogurt and warm through.

Sprinkle with corriander and serve hot with basmati rice.

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