Curried Squash Soup + Hearty Rice

 

 

Ingredients

2 tbsp coconut oil

1 small white or yellow onion, chopped

2 large garlic cloves, minced

1 knob (thumb size) ginger, peeled and minced

2 cups winter squash (any type – kabocha, butternut, koginut etc.), roasted

4 cups water

1 can (400ml) full fat coconut milk

1 tbsp brown cane sugar (we used Cocoa Camino)

1 tbsp curry powder

½ tsp cayenne powder (optional)

½ tsp cumin, ground

1 tsp salt, plus more to taste

½ tsp pepper, plus more to taste

 

2 cups hearty rice (red or black), cooked according to instructions

juice from ½ lime

½ tsp salt

 

Optional garnish: cilantro and yogurt

 

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cut your squash in half and remove seeds and membrane. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place squash cut face down. Roast until ready – this will depend on squash size. Keep checking until finished – 30 minutes to about an hour. The flesh should be easy to scoop and the outside skin has browned. Remove from oven and let cool, then scoop out cooked squash.

 

Heat 2 tbsp coconut oil in a large pot on low heat. Sauté the onion and ginger for 15 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté for another 3 minutes.  Remove from heat.

 

Place onion, ginger, garlic, roasted winter squash, and 4 cups water into a blender and blend until smooth. Pour into the same pot used to sauté onions and keep temperature at a low setting.

 

Add coconut milk, brown sugar, curry powder, cayenne powder, ground cumin, salt and pepper to pot. Stir and heat on low for 1 hour. In order to allow flavours to meld.

 

While soup is heating up, cook your hearty rice according to instructions. Once finished, fold in lime juice and salt. Set aside.

 

In the last 5 minutes of your soup heating you can mix in your two cups of cooked rice. Alternatively, you can scoop the rice into a bowl and pour the soup overtop.

 

Season to taste with sea salt and pepper.

 

Garnish with cilantro and a swirl of yogurt.

 

Enjoy!