If there’s something that personifies winter to me, it has got to be the pumpkin. Step into any market this time of the year and chances are you’ll be greeted with rows and rows of bright orangey pumpkins going for next to nothing.
So when i was at the Victoria Market last week, i couldn’t resist picking up a gorgeous half of a butternut pumpkin or, as it’s more commonly known outside of Australia, butternut squash.
The making of pumpkin soup, or any kind of soup for that matter, always has been therapeutic for me. The leisurely stirring of the soup while it simmers over gentle heat on the stove, the wonderful aroma that fills the apartment, the pureeing of the pumpkin chunks and soup mixture, it makes me feel like all’s right with the world.
This particular pumpkin soup had such wonderful texture and flavour from the pumpkin and lentils, with just a hint of warmth. Served with crusty white bread and caramelized onions, this made for a really delicious, hearty and comforting meal.
A joy both to cook and to eat, plus all that goodness in a bowl- what more could you possibly want from a bowl of soup?
Pumpkin and Lentil Soup [adapted from Nigel Slater's The Kitchen Diaries]
Ingredients
1/2 butternut pumpkin. peeled and cut into chunks
3 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
1 knob of ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
1 onion, roughly chopped
6 cups water
1 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp chili flakes
200g red lentils
Onion topping
1 onion, sliced into thin rings
3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1/2 tbsp canola oil
- Place garlic, onion, ginger, lentils and water in a medium saucepan. Bring mixture to boil before adding turmeric powder, chili flakes and a pinch of salt flakes. Lower heat and let mixture simmer for 20 minutes, covered.
- Meanwhile, place pumpkin in a large pot of water. Bring water to boil and keep it boiling till pumpkin pieces are tender, about 10 minutes. When that’s done, turn heat off and drain pumpkin.
- Bring lentil mixture back to boil and let boil for 5 minutes, uncovered. Turn heat off and add pumpkin in. Let cool for a bit before blending the soup to a puree, in batches.
- To make onion topping Heat oil in a medium frying pan. Add onion rings and fry till they soften and start to turn colour. Add garlic slices in and fry till onion rings are golden brown. Reheat pumpkin soup and serve with onion topping and slices of crusty bread. Serves 4
