If there was a vegetable that I held in great disdain, it would be pumpkin. To this date, I avoid it like a plague whenever I can. For the life of me, I cannot even understand why anyone would like its sweet and mushy texture. 

This great revulsion towards pumpkin ended with this recipe. It might not be the best dish for your rice and curry, but make it in to a soup….? Now that is deliciously tantalising story. Especially during this windy month of January, a good soup is just what you need. 

An almost effortless make, this recipe offers a slightly spicy version of regular pumpkin soup. I like to think of it as adapted to the Sri Lankan palate. A scrumptious appetizer or even an adequate dinner for some, this pumpkin soup comforts your very soul. 

What I do insist on is some toasted bread to accompany this heavenly broth… 

Ingredients 

300g of pumpkin 
3 – 4 cups of water 
1 ½ cubes of chicken stock 
5 spring onions 
2 cloves of garlic 
1 (small) tomato 
2 tsp of olive oil 
Sage 
Pepper 
Oregano 

Directions 

Wash, peel and cut the pumpkin in to chunks. 

Wash, clean and mince the spring onions and garlic cloves. Wash and dice the little tomato. 

Pour the oil in to a heavy based pan and place the pan on a medium high heat. 

Add the diced onions, garlic with a teaspoon of sage to the pan, and sauté. Then add the chopped tomato it and cook for a few seconds. 

Dump the pumpkin in to the pan, stir it in the sauté for a minute. 

Lower the flame, and pour the water in to saucepan. 

Add the chicken stock cubes in to the water, stir and let it boil for about 30 – 45 minutes. 

Once the pumpkin softens up, take it off the heat and let it cool. 

After the pumpkin mix cools down, pour in to the food processor and blitz until it is liquidized. 

Pour the soup in to the saucepan, heat up on a medium high heat for two minutes and then turn off the heat. 

Serve while it’s hot. 

Disasters, Warnings and Tips 

I love my version of a Pumpkin Soup. 

Add a tablespoon of corn flour to the soup if it is too watery. I know I did. 

Oh gosh it had snowed in Nuwara Eliya. Did you hear? 

I had toasted multigrain bread with this soup. YUM. 

Text and photographs by Shazzana Hamid