Eta's Pumpkin Soup

This vegan pumpkin soup is my mother's recipe. It is made of Hokkaido pumpkin with lemongrass, ginger root and spices such as chilli, clove and cardamom. A healthy autumn and winter meal that we often have on the table. The Hokkaido, also called Uchiki Kuri, originally comes from Japan and is a dark orange-coloured pumpkin in which the skin can be processed as well. Since the climatic conditions in Europe are similar, Hokkaido can thrive here very well.

Method:

  1. Wash the Hokkaido pumpkin, core and cut into cubes.
  2. Chop the shallots.
  3. Sauté the shallots in a little olive oil until they are translucent, then add the pumpkin cubes and sauté as well.
  4. Now add the lemongrass cut into fine slices and the peeled ginger root cut into small cubes.
  5. Stir the curry powder, the clove, the cardamom pods, the chilli flakes and the lemon juice into the onion and pumpkin mixture.
  6. Pour the vegetable stock over the vegetables and gently simmer covered for about 20 minutes.
  7. Then season with a little freshly grated nutmeg, salt and pepper and purée everything with a blender.
  8. Roast the pumpkin seeds in a pan with a little olive oil and sea salt on the lowest heat and pour over the soup when serving.
  9. If you wish, you can drizzle pumpkin seed oil over the soup and serve it with a good piece of bread.

Tip: If you like it creamier, you can stir 200 millilitres of cream or cashew cream into the soup.