Pumpkin in Coconut Soup with Shrimp

Now that Halloween is over...what are you going to do with all your pumpkins?? Try out this new soup.

This looks a lot like a rich buttery French style cream soup, but it's a velvety smooth, creamy Thai-style coconut soup with hearty chunks of squash.

It goes well with jasmine rice, but it also tastes great with some noodles or even western-style pasta if you prefer. It especially hits the spot if you're a pumpkin lover, the combination of ingredients really highlight the pumpkin flavor.

If you want to spice the soup up a bit, feel free to add Thai ground chile pepper, and/or add more lime juice so it's more sour like tom kha. Try to use the largest shrimp you can find too!

Ingredients

3 1/4 cups squash, prefer Kabocha or Buttercup variety, cut into large cubes
2 cups coconut milk
1/2 cup coconut cream (see note below)
1 1/2 lbs large shrimps or prawns, peeled and deveined, tails on
1/4 cup shallot, sliced
2 tablespoons shallot, coarsely chopped
4 kaffir lime leaves, thinly sliced
12 whole white peppercorns
2 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons palm sugar
4 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 cups soup stock
1 large egg, lightly beaten
4-6 kaffir lime leaves, whole, torn to release flavor

Method

In a mortar and pestle pound the peppercorns, sliced shallot, and 1/2 teaspoon salt until it forms a nice paste.

In a large soup pot, heat coconut milk over medium-high heat, then add the peppercorn mixture and bring to a boil. Add soup stock and pumpkin, stir and let cook for about 10 minutes or until pumpkin starts to get soft. Add shrimp, season with salt, palm sugar and lime juice. Stir in chopped shallots. Let it cook to a mild boil, stirring soup with a circular motion.

Gradually drizzle the egg into the soup, stirring gently until the egg is cooked. Add coconut cream (see below) and kaffir lime leaves, stirring quickly. Remove from heat, ladle into a bowl, serve hot and enjoy!

To get coconut cream, remove the lid from a can of coconut milk and, without stirring the contents, remove the top cream and discard the thin liquid.

Recipe Source: ImportFood.com Thai Supermarket