Delicious Butternut Squash Coconut and Lemongrass Soup

Butternut Squash Coconut and Lmongrass Soup

Ideas combined from several delicious recipes, tweaked some new ingredients, and made it into my own!

• 1 large yellow onion
• 2 tablespoons oil
• 6 crushed cloves of garlic
• 1 red chilli (or 2 serranos), finely chopped and deseeded (If you don't like medium spicy leave these out).  (If you're unsure of how spicy the soup will be and don't like a lot of heat, touch a piece of cut up fresh chili to your tongue, and if it's mildly-medium spicy, you will be fine adding it to the soup.  If it burns your tongue, only add 1/2 the chili, and de-seed it as well.)
• 2 inner stalks of lemongrass, bruised
• 1 Tablespoon of roughly chopped fresh ginger
• 1 large butternut squash, peeled and roughly chopped
• Enough stock either chicken or veggie to almost cover squash on pan you will be using (For me it took about 3 cups)
• 1 pho packet (Optional, but adds a nice depth of flavor) (Usually found at the Asian Market, and are used as an easy flavoring for making the traditional Pho soup.)
• 1 x 14 oz can of LITE coconut milk (if you don't care about the fat, then use regular ;o))
• 1 bunch of fresh spinach, roughly chopped
• 1 bunch of fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
• salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Carmelize the onions in the olive oil for about 20-30 minutes, until glistening and medium brown. Add the garlic, chilli, lemongrass and ginger and saute for about a minute.

Add the sliced butternut squash and saute on medium-low heat for about five minutes, being careful not to let the garlic in the pan burn.

Add the stock, season lightly with salt and pepper, and add pho packet. Bring up to low simmer and simmer for about 30 mnutes.

Remove the lemongrass and about 1/2 of the ginger pieces.

Whizz the solid parts in a food processor or blender (you may have to do this in batches) with 3/4 of the coconut milk, and add the stock in until you have the thickness and consistancy you desire. 

Return to the rinsed out saucepan.

Reheat if necessary, check the seasoning.

Pour into serving bowls, and add a handful of chopped fresh spinach and stir until well wilted.

Drizzle a teaspoon of remaining coconut milk into each serving bowl, and top with roughly chopped cilantro.

Enjoy!

Would be delicious with some brown rice stirred in for a more substantial meal.

...........................................................................................

xoxoxxx