Creamy Pumpkin Soup

Do you know the coldest temperature ever recorded in Singapore? It's 20.6 deg C on 2 Dec 1964. That's amazing for a place situated near equator!   Though it happened almost 50 years ago, it's generally cooler in December with average highest temperature of 29.9 deg C.   On a cold rainy day like today, enjoy a steaming bowl of homemade soup, it not only warms the body, but also the soul.

 

After almost 3 months since I noted down creamy pumpkin soup recipe, I finally made it last Saturday.  I was surprised and delighted how inexpensive and savoury this creamy soup was. The wonderful thing is , it did not take too much time as I thought.

I used microwave to cook the pumpkin. Chop it roughly, put into a container with some water. Heat up for 10 minutes. The pumpkin chunks are cooked through and can be peeled easily.

In a saucepan, fry onion and garlic with olive oil until fragrant. Add store-bought chicken broth and bring to a boil.  Add cooked pumpkin, heavy cream and season with cinnamon powder, nutmeg, salt and white pepper.  Continue simmering for another 10 minutes, or  until it reaches a thick consistency.  Transfer to a food processor to puree until smooth.  Hearty delicious pumpkin soup is ready to serve!

To make it vegan, you can replace the chicken broth with vegetable broth, the heavy cream with coconut milk.  Make it as simple or as elaborate as you wish. Your taste buds will be grateful!

 

 

CREAMY PUMPKIN SOUP

(recipe adapted from Williams-Sonoma)
 

Ingredients:

• 500g-600g pumpkin, cut into chunks
• 1 clove of garlic, smashed 
• 1 brown onion, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
• white pepper, salt to taste
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• parsley leaves for garnish

Directions:

1. In a microwave safe container, add pumpkin chunks and some water. Heat up for 10 minutes or until pumpkin is cooked through.
2. Remove from microwave, peel the pumpkin chunks, and smash with the back of a ladle. Set aside.
3. In a large saucepan, fry the onion and garlic with olive oil until fragrant. Add chicken broth and bring to a boil. Add cooked pumpkin and heavy cream. Stirring occasionally. Sprinkle with cinnamon, nutmeg, white pepper and salt.  Reduce heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes, or until reach creamy consistency.
4. Transfer the soup to a food processor, puree until smooth. Ladle the soup into bowls, garnish with parsley leaves. Serve immediately.