Quite the mouthful title on this post! I’m a sucker for Thai flavours and always testing different curry pastes/ flavour combinations. Squash and similar root veggies are readily available during this cold season in Vancouver so I thought I’d try to mix my Thai love with local produce.

This recipe is really easy – most of the time involved is preparing/cutting up the butternut squash (that being said, you get quite the arm work out from doing it. Added plus!) All you have to do is stick everything into one pot and get some mashing on! A good thing about soups is that you don’t have to follow the recipe precisely and you can make modifications per your preference. Have fun with the recipe and mess around with proportions of the ingredients!

Ingredients:

• 15 mL (1 tbsp) oil
• 1 small onion
• 15 mL (1 tbsp) fresh ginger, minced or grated – I prefer grated using a microplane
• 3 cloves garlic, minced or grated
• 15 mL (1 tbsp) Thai red curry paste
• 8-10 cups peeled and cubed butternut squash – I used a larger butternut squash and cut into 2 cm cubes for faster cooking
• 750 mL (3 cups) vegetable broth, no salt added/lower salt option
• 175mL (3/4 cup) coconut milk – you can find small cans in both local and ethnic grocery stores
• Salt to taste

What to do: 

1. On medium heat, add the oil and onions to a large pot. Stir until the onions are translucent.
2. Add the garlic and ginger to the pot and continue cooking for 1 minute – avoid burning it!
3. Add the red curry paste and stir until mixed well with the onions, garlic and ginger. This step allows the paste to be incorporated into the soup without lumps.
4. Add the butternut squash and vegetable broth. Bring to a soft simmer and cook for about 15-20 minutes or until the squash is soft and mashable.
5. Using either the back of a wooden spoon or a potato masher, mash up the mix until all the large squash pieces become a pureed consistency. I prefer having some texture in my soup rather than a smooth consistency. It also avoids having to use a food processor/blender when you’re in a pinch for time!
6. Add the coconut milk and heat the soup through.
7. DONE! Serve with some crusty bread and garnish with leftover coconut milk and cilantro.

Tips:

• If you like your soup on the thinner side, add another cup of broth
• If you’re not into chunkier soups, add the cooked squash to a blender and puree it up before adding the coconut milk
• For an adding tang and freshness, add 1/2 lime to the mix at the end
• If you can’t find a no/low sodium broth, you probably won’t need to add salt
• Trying to avoid a ton of calories? Use light coconut milk!