Colourful Curried Confetti Soup
The leaves have begun to scatter. After yesterday’s rain, they littered this morning pavement like coloured confetti. I can’t help but think that before long, even these leaves will pass, and we’ll be left with nothing but bare branches, grey pavement and even greyer skies for the winter months ahead.
It would be a melancholy time, if not for recipes such as this one for a colourful curried confetti soup, with its flurry of red onion and cabbage, orange pumpkin, yellow sweet potatoes and green zucchini. And for fall company like Lindsay, who blew into my apartment a few nights ago as if on seasonal cue with a warm grin, girly gossip and a massive green salad from Whole Foods. I love that she’s the sort of friend I can share this sort of messy, unfussy soup with-both of us in comfy sweats, catching up on life and relationships between spoonfuls. Perfect company to colour grey fall evenings.
{MAKES} 4 generous servings
{INGREDIENTS}
2 TB olive oil
2 cloves garlic, slivered
1 TB curry powder
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 small red onion, diced (approx. 1 C)
1 large sweet potato, grated (approx. 2 C)
1 large zucchini, grated (approx. 2 C)
2 C pureed pumpkin
2 C chicken stock
2 C coconut milk
1 C frozen peas
1/2 C purple cabbage, finely diced (for garnish)
salt and pepper to taste
{DIRECTIONS}
one. In a large pot, heat oil over medium heat and add the garlic and red onion. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 2 minutes.
two. Stir in curry powder and cumin.
three. Add grated sweet potato and zucchini to the pot. Saute uncovered for 6-8 minutes, or until vegetables begin to soften.
four. Stir in pureed pumpkin, then chicken stock. Cover and simmer for 30 to 40 minutes on medium-low heat until vegetables are well softened, stirring occasionally.
five. Add coconut milk and green peas. Simmer on low until peas are bright green and just cooked through.
six. Remove from heat and stir in purple cabbage.
Serve with thick slabs of crusty bread and a crunchy green salad.
