Spiced Butternut Squash Soup
Spiced Butternut Squash Soup
It’s hard not to think about creamy Butternut Squash Soup once the Seasons turn to Fall / Winter, they’re practically synonymous! This recipe is easy to make and the resulting soup is wonderfully velvety and savory with a bit of sweetness. It uses Mala spice to make it stand out. The term málà is a combination of two Chinese characters: "numbing" (麻) and "spicy” (辣), referring to the feeling in the mouth after eating the sauce. The numbness is caused by Sichuan pepper used in the blend. Don’t be alarmed at the heat level, most mixes you will find contain a blend of spices that also include sugar to balance the heat. You can also easily sub your favorite Curry powder or go with more traditional spices like Sage and Thyme. This soup will be perfect on your holiday table but don’t wait for a special occasion and make some now!
Serves 4
Ingredients
2 medium sized Butternut Squash (1600 g)
5 cups of Vegetable or No Chicken Broth
1 small ( 230 g) Onion chopped
4 cloves of Garlic minced
3 ribs of Celery chopped
2-3 tsp of Mala Spice ( I used Fly by Jing)
Salt & Pepper to taste
Optional toppings:
Cashew Cream (recipe below)
Fresh Cilantro
Croutons
Cashew Cream
1/2 cup Raw Cashews
1/3 cup - 1/2 water
Salt & Pepper
1 tsp Miso Paste (optional)
Directions
Soak the cashews in enough hot water to cover them for 30 minutes. Drain and rinse before adding to a blender along with 1/3 cup water, miso paste, salt & pepper. Blend until completely smooth and creamy. Add additional water as needed to thin the cream.
Directions
1. Prepare the butternut squash by peeling the outer skin and cutting away the ends. Cut in half to remove the seeds (you can keep them to roast just like pumpkin) Cube the squash and add them to a bowl. Toss with oil, salt, pepper and 1 1/2 tsp of mala spice.
2. Lay the cubes out in a single layer on a parchment lined baking sheet(s) and bake at 375 for 40-50 minutes or until soft and the edges have browned. Flip once half way through the baking time.
3. While the squash is roasting start on the aromatics. Heat the oil in a large stock pot and sauté the onion and celery for about 4-6 minutes or until the onions are translucent. Add in the garlic and turn the heat to low. Allow the mixture to cook until the garlic becomes fragrant.
4. Add the cooked butternut squash, broth and remaining mala spice to the pot and simmer covered for 15 minutes. Season with salt & pepper.
5. In batches, blend the mixture until it becomes a velvety somewhat thick mixture. You can add more water or broth to help thin it. Return the soup to the pot to heat through.
Serve with cashew cream, fresh cilantro and crusty bread or croutons.
