Lemon Thyme and Ginger

Kabocha Coconut Curry Soup

Kabocha Coconut Curry Soup Recipe

Fall, Recent Posts, Soup, Vegan | November 1, 2017 | By

Whenever I try a new food or learn a new trick I like to share it with you on my blog. This week I discovered a winter squash I never had before, kabocha squash. It is a gnarly looking green winter squash like a small pumpkin, and tastes like a blend of sweet potato and pumpkin. Kabocha is sweet and dense like a sweet potato, but with as silkier texture. Compared to a sugar pumpkin, it has a deeper burnt orange color, smoother texture, and a richer sweet squash flavor. It is not a new variety, but one that is gaining in popularity throughout the US. Like most winter squashes, you can substitute Kabocha in most recipes using winter squash.

Kabocha coconut curry soup recipe

My curiosity was piqued after reading a recipe for Red Curry Ginger Squash Soup. In the recipe the author described Kabocha squash as the sweetest of winter squashes available. Of course, I had to test her statement and bought it to make her soup. This soup is made up of some of my favorite flavor combinations, Thai red curry paste, coconut milk, fresh ginger, and lemongrass. I have a weakness for Thai coconut curries and love stews and soups made with them. With that in mind, I knew this soup recipe is a winner.

Red Curry Ginger Squash Soup comes from Meyers and Chang At Home, by Joanne Chang and Karen Akunowicz. This is a wonderful cookbook featuring dishes from the restaurant Meyers and Chang in Boston’s South End neighborhood. The book is filled with amazing recipes celebrating Taiwanese food and Joanne Chang’s Taiwanese American heritage. For their ginger curry soup recipe, they recommend using one of three different winter squashes, with Kabocha high on their list. I found soup is a great meal to make when trying an unfamiliar vegetable. In the event you are not totally in love with the flavor, it is easier to doctor-up soup into something preferable. Fortunately, kabocha’s flavor satisfied like I thought it would, and required no doctoring. The rich and sweet flavor, and silky texture of the kabocha was perfect with the fresh ginger and Thai curry paste. This soup is giving my all-time favorite pumpkin soup some competition.

Kabocha Coconut Curry Soup Recipe

This is an easy soup to make, but there are a couple of considerations.

How to peel Kabocha squash 2 ways

Like a lot of winter squash, Kabocha has a very tough outer skin. Peeling off the skin is tricky. You need a good cutting board and sturdy surface, and a sharp chef’s knife.

First, cut the kabocha squash in half, then pull the two sides apart. Then scoop out the seeds like you would for a pumpkin. Scrape out as many stringy strands too. Once cleaned, cut each half into 3 or 4 wedges depending on how big your kabocha is. Finally, lay each wedge on its side with the skin facing out, and run your knife down along the outer side, slicing along the curve of the wedge.

Kabocha coconut curry soup reicpe

Kabocha coconut curry soup reicpe

The alternative method is to roast the Kabocha then slice away the peel. First, cut the kabocha in half, scoop out the seeds, then slice in wedges like the method above. Place the wedges on a sheet pan. Drizzle a little olive oil over the kabocha wedges and sprinkle with some Kosher salt. Place the sheet pan in a pre-heated 400°F/ 204°C oven. Roast the squash until the flesh is very tender, about 40 minutes to an hour. Using a spoon or a knife, scoop or cut out the flesh away from the peel. This method cooks and peels the vegetable at the same time.

Kabocha Coconut Curry Soup Recipe

Kabocha Coconut Curry Soup recipe

More delicious Asian Cuisine inspired recipes:

Sugar Snap Peas this Shiitake Mushrooms,

Pork Fried Dumplings

Tips for making Kabocha Coconut Curry Soup

The other consideration is keeping the coconut milk from separating or curdling. This happens when the coconut milk reaches a certain temperature and the proteins that link the fat to the water change shape,  denaturing of the protein,  and no longer stay emulsified.  It is a natural process and does not cause coconut milk to go bad. It just looks unappetizing. To prevent the coconut milk from curdling it is important to make sure the coconut milk is at room temperature and the ingredients in the pot are not boiling. I work at controlling the temperature, so the coconut milk stays emulsified and smooth. Stirring the soup helps with this as well.

While making this soup, I lowered the temperature after the kabocha became tender and mushy. Then I let the liquids in the pot cool down to barely a simmer. Once the soup cooled, but remained warm, I added the coconut milk while stirring constantly until the coconut milk incorporated. Once the coconut milk is added, the soup needs to cook for an additional 30 minutes. It is important to control the soup’s temperature, so it does not boil. I slightly turned up the heat to a low simmer and continued to stir the soup at regular intervals.

I have yet to determine if Kabocha is the sweetest of winter squashes around, but I am eager to continue testing that theory. My next kabocha adventure might be adding it in my pumpkin pie recipe, or my sweet potato cake recipe. What is your favorite Kabocha or winter squash recipe? Let me know in the comments section below the recipe.

If you liked this post and recipe, let me know by clicking on the Like button at the bottom of the post. Thank you.

Kabocha Coconut Curry Soup Recipe

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Kabocha Coconut Curry Soup Recipe

Kabocha Coconut Curry Soup

Kabocha is a green winter squash with burnt orange flesh. It has a sweet and silky flavor like sweet potatoes. Winter squash combined with Thai red curry paste, and coconut milk creates a delicious soup you will want to make repeatedly. If kabocha squash is not available substitute it with butternut squash or sugar pumpkin. This recipe is from Meyers and Chang At Home by Joanne Chang and Karen Akuowicz with slight adjustments. Meyers and Chang is a Taiwanese - American restaurant in Boston's South End neighborhood.
Prep Time 20 hours
Cook Time 50 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Author Ginger

Ingredients

  • 2 TB olive oil or butter
  • 1 small yellow onion chopped
  • 2 TB fresh ginger peeled and minced
  • 1 TB Thai Red Curry Paste
  • 1 1/2 - 2 lbs 750 g - 1 k Kabocha or butternut squash, peeled and cut into 2" chunks
  • 1 stalk lemongrass
  • Zest from 2 limes (or preferable if you have access to Asian markets 2 makrut lime leaves)
  • 1 13.5 oz 403 ml can of coconut milk
  • 2 TB fresh squeezed lime juice more to taste
  • 1 tsp sugar plus more to taste
  • 1/2 - 1 tsp Kosher salt more to taste

Instructions

  1. Heat a large stock pot over medium high heat. Add the olive oil and heat for about a minute. Add the onion and garlic and gently cook until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. While the vegetables cook, stir frequently to prevent the onions and ginger from sticking to the bottom.
  2. Add the curry paste and stir until incorporated. Cook for about 1 minute.
  3. Add the kabocha, or butternut squash, and 2 cups (500 ml) of water. Bring to a gentle boil and cook until the squash is tender and mushy. About 15 minutes.
  4. Prepare the lemongrass. Peel off the outer papery layer and discard. If your lemongrass is not already trimmed, cut off the top 2/3 of the stalk, leaving about 6-7 inches of a pale and pliable piece. Cut off the dense base of the stalk. Slice the stalk down the center lengthwise.
  5. Turn down the heat to low. Add the lemongrass and lime zest, or lime leaf if using.
  6. Once the soup ingredients stop boiling and cooled to a low simmer, add the coconut milk. Constantly stir until the coconut milk is thoroughly mixed in. Be careful not to allow the soup to a boil, or the coconut milk will curdle. Frequent stirring will also prevent the coconut milk from curdling.
  7. Turn the heat up to medium-low and cook for about 30 minutes. Make sure the temperature does not get above a gentle simmer. Stir the soup at frequent intervals to prevent curdling.
  8. When done, remove the lime leaves (if using) and lemongrass from the soup. Use a fork to help fish out any loose lemongrass strings.
  9. Purée the soup. In a blender, food processor or immersion blender, process the soup until smooth. If you are using a blender leave a vent for the heat to escape. Also purée the soup in batches so the soup does not explode. I used my immersion blender with good results and avoided possible explosions with a blender. However, blenders do a better job at getting a smoother purée.
  10. Once puréed, pass the soup through a fine mesh strainer.
  11. Place your soup back in your stock pot and taste, and turn the temperature to medium low. Add the lime juice and correct the seasoning with the sugar and salt. Taste and adjust the seasoning. When adding the sugar and Kosher salt, start with less amounts then taste. You can easily add more. Add more lime juice if needed. Also, add more water if the soup is too thick. The texture should be light and smooth and not too thick.
  12. Serve warm right away.
  13. Can be made 2 days in advance and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator, or freeze up to 2 weeks.
Kabocha Coconut Curry Soup. Just the right amount of heat ans sweet for the perfect soup.

 

© 2017 – 2018, Ginger Smith- Lemon Thyme and Ginger. All rights reserved.

3 Comments

  1. Harriot Manley

    November 1, 2017 at 2:37 pm

    Kabocha is a favorite in our house. I peel the beast (good if you have stuff to work out of your system….take THAT, kabocha!). Then I halve it, scoop out seeds, cut into large dice, and put in a large bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and stir to coat. I arrange the squash chunks on a cookie sheet, sprinkle with sea salt and lightly with sage (powdered works well but you can also mince up fresh sage), then roast at 400F until browned on bottom and tender to bite
    –usually about 25-30 mins . (You can just roast to your own liking–just keep an eye on it.) Such a terrific, healthy vegetable!

    Can’t wait to try your soup, Ginger 🙂 I’m making it for friends tomorrow night.

    Reply
    • Ginger

      November 1, 2017 at 6:11 pm

      I can imagine that kabocha and sage is delicious together and roasted. I love butternut squash and sage, espesially in risotto with bacon or panchetta. I have a couple of kabochas leftover from testing this recipe and will roast them with sage. Kudos to you for peeling the squash before cutting it into managable pieces. That takes some skill. Thank you Harriot.

      Reply
    • Ginger

      November 1, 2017 at 6:22 pm

      Hi Harriot just an FYI, the original recipe calls for 1 TB of sugar and 2 tsp of Kosher salt. It believed that to be a lot. When I made it I only used 1 tsp of sugar and a total of 1 tsp of Kosher salt added in stages. I beleive the amount of sugar depends on how ripe and sweet your squash is, and the type of squash you are using. Also, some people prefered it with more red curry paste. For me, how I presented the recipe is how I like the soup. I also used full fat coconut milk. Tweaking with lime juice, salt, sugar and thinning with water really ties it together. It is just a matter of taste and this recipe is easliy adapted to suit any preference. Enjoy!

      Reply

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