Kabotcha and Red Kuri Squash Autumn Soup - gluten free, dairy free, soy free, vegan
 
Prep time
Cook time
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This warm and comforting soup is the perfect thing to have simmer on your stove after a long chilly day. The sweet flavors of the squashes pair beautifully, not to mention the gorgeous autumn color. Also makes a wonderful appetizer for Thanksgiving (in little shot glasses!) that everyone can enjoy!
Jessica:
Recipe type: Soup
Serves: 8-10
Ingredients
  • 2 medium onions, diced
  • ½ kabocha squash, spray and rinse well, seeds removed (preferably organic)
  • 1 red red kuri squash, halved, seeds removed (preferably organic)
  • 16 ounces (454 g) raw young Thai coconut meat (sold in health food stores freezer section)
  • 3 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 3 teaspoons ground ginger
  • 1 teaspoon grated or ground nutmeg
  • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar or rice wine vinegar
  • 4 cups coconut milk, unsweetened (not canned)
  • 4 cups low sodium vegetable (or any) stock (I use homemade or Imagine Organic brand)
  • 3-4 tablespoons grape seed or coconut oil
  • For garnish:
  • cayenne spiced pumpkin seeds (I personally love superseedz somewhat spicy flavor)
  • pomegranate seeds
  • unsweetened coconut yogurt
Preparation
  1. Note: Allow 1 hour and 30 minutes for preheating, roasting and cooling of squashes before adding to soup. Please read additional notes below.
  2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (204 Celsius).
  3. Place seeded kabocha and kuri squash with cut side down, onto a parchment lined baking sheet. When oven is at temperature, roast for 55 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes, or until cool to the touch and remove the kuri squash peel. The kabocha squash peel is edible and has a nice nutty flavor to it.
  4. Roughly mash the squash and add to the soup pot. Meanwhile, set a large soup pot on medium high heat. When heated, add oil and onions. Stir to coat well. Add both squashes, and coconut meat, stir again. Then add kosher salt, ginger, nutmeg, and apple cider vinegar. Stir again (lots of stirring to combine flavors and prevent any burning on the bottom before the addition of liquids). Add coconut milk, and vegetable broth.
  5. Once it comes to a boil reduce heat to medium and simmer for 20 minutes.
  6. Optional: garnish with pumpkin seeds, pomegranate seeds and coconut yogurt. If you like a little heat, try a splash of chili oil (my favorite). Other tasty options: fresh slices of pear (or apple) with candied walnuts or diced persimmon and toasted pine nuts.
  7. Some Additional Notes:
  8. Organic squash is readily available these days and strongly suggest using it here since we are adding the peel into the soup. Pesticides binds to produce skin very well, even a good amount of washing.
  9. I don’t remove the peel of the kabocha since it is edible and packed with additional fiber and beta-carotene, so adding the skin gives you two times the nutrients! Trust (please!) that it will not taste strange or like dirt by leaving the peel on.The kuri squash peel is also edible but somewhat bitter to me so I remove it. Give it a taste after it has cooled as see if you like it. If you choose to add it to the soup, add 1-2 cups of extra broth and coconut milk (equal parts) to maintain a soup-like consistency.
  10. For removing the peel: if you find the peel doesn’t separate from the squash use a spoon to scrape it off.
  11. If you are using a high sodium broth, hold off on adding the salt and adjust accordingly.
  12. I use vegetable stock to bring out the rich autumn flavors of the squash in this soup, and the coconut milk to keep it light in taste. Solely using vegetable stock weighs it down in terms of flavor and feels like heavy. Only using coconut milk brings on a whole other type of soup; one that tastes flat without the inclusion of fresh ginger, lemongrass, and chili for more of a Thai inspired soup. Using both balances “light and creamy” with “rich and hearty.”
  13. Coconut meat is a very mild tasting coconut, sold frozen - due to their live enzymes - and found in most health food stores. Make sure the package says “pure young Thai coconut meat”. Coconut oil and coconut meat does not have a strong coconut flavor like canned coconut does, which is manmade. Using canned coconut will bring on a more Thai inspired flavor and strong notes of coconut, whereas, young coconut doesn’t compete with the squashes in this recipe.
  14. The frozen, packaged, coconut meat is the same as what is along the inside shell of the white “conehead” shaped coconut wrapped in plastic wrap - minus the water- sold in the refrigerated section. I prefer to buy just the meat from the freezer section because a) it won’t spoil if I don’t end up using it right away b) no coconut shells remnants to worry about c) convenience d) without coconut water, which is high in sugar. It is a higher-priced item, like most specialty foods are, but feel it’s worth the splurge considering it’s high lauric acid (a saturated fat that is LOW in cholesterol despite what they taught medics in the ’70’s), an anti fungal, anti bacterial and high fiber food.
Recipe by From Jessica's Kitchen at http://fromjessicaskitchen.com/kabotcha-red-kuri-squash-autumn-soup/