Pumpkin & Coconut Soup (Thailand)
Ingredients
2 garlic cloves, crushed
4 shallots, finely chopped
2.5ml/ 1/2teaspoon shrimp paste 15ml/1 tablespoon dried shrimps soaked for ten minutes and
drained
1 stalk lemon grass, chopped
2 green chilies, seeded
salt to taste
600ml/1pint/ 2 1/2 cups chicken stock 450g/1lb pumpkin, cut into chunks 600ml/1 pint/ 2
1/2cups coconut cream 30ml/2 tablespoon fish sauce
5ml/1 teaspoon granulated sugar 115g/4oz small cooked shelled prawns freshly ground black
pepper
2 red chilies, seeded (unless you like it hot!) and finely sliced, to garnish
10-12 basil leaves, to garnish.
Grind the garlic, shallots, shrimp paste, dried shrimps, lemongrass,
green chilies and salt into a paste. In a large saucepan, bring the chicken stock to the
boil, add the ground paste and stir to dissolve. Add the pumpkin and simmer for about
10-15 minutes or until the pumpkin is tender. Stir in the coconut cream, then bring back
to a simmer. Add the fish sauce, sugar and ground black pepper to taste. Add the prawns
and cook until they are heated through. Serve garnished with the sliced red chilies and
basil leaves.