Squash Coconut Curry Soup

Spoiler Alert: I keep my favourite potion in sinner/dinner sized servings in the freezer in suspended animation ready to come to the rescue when this sweet poor maiden hasn't the time to slave over a hot meal.  Make ahead meals are the soup de jour in order to make it through the week with our sanity intact. To stay sane you'll need:

• 1 cup (heaping) diced celery - 2 ribs   
• 1 cup(heaping) diced carrots - 1 large carrot
• 1 cup (heaping) diced onion - 1 large onion
• 3 cloves garlic - chopped
• 1.5 Kg. roasted squash - butternut is my preferred choice 
• 1 liter broth - veggies, or chicken
• 1 liter water



Soup de jour

• 1 can (400 ml) coconut milk   

Seasoning

• 2 TBSP Red curry paste
• 1 stick lemongrass, swacked and chopped fine
• 2 TBSP fish sauce
• 2TBSP brown sugar
• 1 TBSP + 1 tsp fresh ground ginger
• 1 dried thai chili 
• couple of dry or fresh lime leaves
• Grated - rind of one lime  + juice 
• cilantro - chopped

HOW TO: In a giant soup pot

• Sweat the onions, the add the carrots, celery & garlic to sweat
• Push all the veggies to the sides and fry the curry paste until fragrant
• add the broth and water and drink to a boil
• add the squash, coconut milk & ground lemongrass  & lime leaves
• bring up to a simmer
• add sugar, fish sauce & dried chili 
• allow to simmer until flavours come together
• remove from the heat and remove the limes leaves, 
• using an emersion blender, blend the entire soup 
• add the grated lime rind & juice and serve with a topping of cilantro. 

Squash Coconut Curry Soup Beer pairing - consider a hop forward brew - the spicy thai flavours and hop profiles are BFF's, try Russell's Hop Therapy for a sure hit. 

Marvel at your capacity to freeze your own miracles, you'll be happy and your belly will thank you.