Thai Pumpkin and Cashew Soup

This soup is silky smooth with additions of jasmine rice for thickening and cashew for protein. Ginger and turmeric give a wonderful flavour, plus their antiinflammatory, antioxidants, immunesupporting properties are a bonus for winter chills. I use butternut pumpkin here, as it is a little easier to skin than most but any variety will work. Bruising the lemongrass helps to release the subtle flavour into your soup.

Ingredients

2 Tbsp coconut oil, virgin or refined

1 tsp sesame oil

1 leek or onion, roughly chopped 2 carrots, roughly chopped

1 stick celery, sliced

1 butternut pumpkin, peeled and chopped into pieces

2 cloves garlic, crushed

2 Tbsp mirin

400g coconut cream (reserve 3 Tbsp for serving)

1.6 litres liquid vegetable stock or water

1 thumbsized piece fresh or frozen ginger, grated

1 thumbsized piece fresh or frozen turmeric, grated, or 12 Tbsp dried

2 kaffir lime leaves or zest and juice of 1 lime (reserve lime juice to finish)

1⁄4 cup white jasmine rice

1⁄3 cup raw cashew nut pieces

2 Tbsp light soy sauce, tamari or coconut aminos

2 stalks lemongrass, bruised

5 sprigs fresh coriander, roughly chopped (add the roots if you have them along with the ginger and turmeric at the start)

1 tsp salt

1⁄4 tsp pepper

1 tsp chilli powder (optional)

Melt the coconut and sesame oil in a large pot on high heat, then add the leek, carrot, celery, pumpkin and garlic and saute for 2 minutes.

Deglaze the pan with the mirin, stir through the mixture in the pan, then add the coconut cream, stock, ginger, turmeric, lime leaves or zest, rice, cashew nuts, soy sauce and lemongrass. Bring to the boil, then turn down to a simmer and cook for about 20 minutes, until the vegetables are soft and the rice is cooked.

Add the coriander and seasonings then cool before blending. Blend until smooth, then bring back to a simmer before serving.