At the Market | Kabocha Squash & Curried Squash Soup

For the longest time I was intimidated by cooking with fall and winter squash. Their hard exterior, that I thought needed to be cracked open with a hatchet, left me only cooking with their summer precursor, zucchini. I decided to go for it this fall and experiment with kabochoa, acorn, butternut and honeynut varieties in the kitchen. While some kinds are harder to cut—a sharp knife is key here—I really enjoyed the flavors of each. All squash pairs well with coconut milk; browned butter and sage or roasted with olive oil, salt and pepper. I decided to make a quick vegan soup that included kabocha squash and combined it with curry powder, red curry paste and shallots.

Curried Squash Soup

Serves 2 to 4 people

4 shallots, finely chopped

1 tablespoon red curry paste

1 teaspoon turmeric powder

1 teaspoon curry powder

1 can coconut milk

1 cup water

1 medium kabocha squash, peeled and diced

Raw pumpkin seeds for garnish

Directions: Drizzle olive oil into a dutch oven pot. Add shallots and over medium heat, cook until translucent. Add curry paste, turmeric and curry powder, followed by coconut milk, water and squash. Cook over medium heat until squash is soft. If the liquid is cooking down quickly, add 1/2 cup more water. Next use an immersion blender or transfer to a food processor and pulse until pureed. Garnish with pumpkin seeds and enjoy!

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