This soup is all about warmth, comfort and cozy-ing up under the blanket and reading a book or watching a very good film. I’ve just returned from a trip that included braving snowfall and icy cold winds, so you’ll have to forgive me for posting this recipe while most of you have been burning in the heat in India.
The beautiful thing about pumpkins is that you can get them all year round in India – which means, you can save this recipe for a cooler time. It’s an underplayed ingredient in the Indian cuisine, and I’ve often been confused as to why. You can experiment with a variety of flavourings, creating something new each time.
Everyone has his or her own version of pumpkin soup and there are no rules. I use a bay leaf and cinnamon stick along with peppery fresh rosemary. The combination works wonderfully, and the bit of fried garlic on top adds the perfect crunch. Although this recipe makes for a thick soup, it has no cream, milk or potatoes; the measurement of stock is less in comparison to other recipes. If you like a thinner soup, or you aren’t in the middle of a snowstorm and don’t need the kind of comfort I usually do, you can increase the amount of stock or reduce the pumpkin quantity.
