Pumpkin, Cumin And Chilli Soup

Total Time: 35 mins Preparation Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 20 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 1 large pumpkin, about 2 kg
• 2 tablespoons butter or 2 tablespoons oil, for frying
• 1 tablespoon cumin seed
• 2 medium onions, finely chopped
• 1 red chile, finely sliced
• 1 teaspoon caster sugar
• 1 liter hot vegetable stock or 1 liter chicken stock
• salt
• 4 tablespoons heavy cream (optional)
• 4 teaspoons olive oil, for drizzling

Recipe

• 1 slice the top off the pumpkin and set it aside.
• 2 later it will be the lid for your pumpkin-pot serving bowl.
• 3 use your hands to pull out all the strings and seeds in the centre of the pumpkin.
• 4 you can, if you like, save the seeds for roasting.
• 5 now use a spoon to scoop out as much of the flesh as you can, but be careful not to break through the shell of the pumpkin.
• 6 remember, you want to use it as a bowl afterwards.
• 7 roughly chop the pumpkin flesh and then heat the oil or butter in a big pot.
• 8 throw in the cumin seeds and onion, frying and stirring occasionally until the onion becomes translucent.
• 9 add the chilli and sugar and stir well, then throw in the hot stock and pumpkin flesh.
• 10 simmer until the pumpkin is soft enough to purée.
• 11 add salt to taste and then blitz until smooth.
• 12 add the cream, if desired, and pour into the pumpkin shell.
• 13 make patterns on the surface by drizzling over the oil.
• 14 serve immediately.