Winter pumpkin soup with rice

Method
Prep:20min  ›  Cook:45min  ›  Ready in:1hr5min 

1. Peel the pumpkin and remove the seeds and fibres from the centre. Rinse the seeds and reserve. Cut the pumpkin flesh into cubes.
2. Heat the oil in a large saucepan, add the onions and curry powder, and cook over a low to moderate heat, stirring frequently, for 15–20 minutes or until the onions soften and start to caramelise.
3. Add the cubes of pumpkin, the garlic and chilli, and stir to coat with the onion mixture. Pour in the stock and add 5 tbsp of the rice. Bring to the boil, then cover the pan, reduce the heat and simmer for 25 minutes or until the pumpkin and rice are very soft.
4. Meanwhile, bring a saucepan of water to the boil, add the remaining rice and simmer for about 15 minutes or until just tender. Drain in a sieve, rinse lightly under cold water and leave to drain again.
5. Preheat the grill to moderately high. Spread out the pumpkin seeds on a baking sheet in a single layer and toast under the grill for 3–5 minutes or until golden and aromatic, turning them several times. Set aside.
6. When the pumpkin and rice are soft, pure the soup, either in a blender or food processor, or using a hand-held blender directly in the pan.
7. Stir in the cooked rice and season with salt and pepper to taste. Reheat gently. If the soup seems too thick, stir in a little hot vegetable stock or water. Stir in the chopped coriander and serve, sprinkled with the toasted pumpkin seeds.

Some more ideas

Replace the curry powder with 1 tbsp dried rosemary or dried mixed herbs. * To make butternut squash, apple and rice soup, use butternut squash instead of pumpkin, preparing it in the same way but without reserving and toasting the seeds. Caramelise the onions in the oil, flavouring with ground cumin instead of curry powder. Add the squash to the pan with 1 peeled, cored and diced cooking apple and 2 chopped garlic cloves, then add the stock and 85 g (3 oz) basmati rice. Simmer as in the main recipe, at the same time cooking another 85 g (3 oz) basmati rice in water in a separate pan. Peel and core 1 tart eating apple and cut into small cubes. sautéin 15 g (½ oz) butter for about 5 minutes or until tender. Pure the soup as in the main recipe, then stir in the cooked rice and sauted apple. Finish by stirring in 1 tbsp Calvados and 2 tbsp crme frache.

Plus points

Pumpkin is one of the largest winter squashes and can be used as a vegetable or in sweet dishes such as the traditional American dessert for Thanksgiving, pumpkin pie. Pumpkin is rich in beta-carotene, as well as other antioxidants such as lutein and zeaxanthin, all of which can help to protect the body against infections and diseases. * Rice is the most important cereal grain in the world, with some 2,500 varieties. It is a source of protein, starchy carbohydrate and most B vitamins. These, with the addition of vitamins from the pumpkin, make this a very nutritious soup.

Each serving provides

C * A, B1, E, copper, potassium, zinc