Monday, October 26, 2009

Make Your Pumpkin Soup Recipe Easy And Fast

By Ken Kudra

Does the idea of cold pumpkin soup sound strange to you? If you are from the United States, you have probably never had this smooth, delicious soup, but you might want to try it. There are types popular all over the world, from South African pumpkin soup to Australian and Parisian varieties.

Pumpkin soup can be a real treat, even if it looks a little unusual at first. Do not be surprised by the smooth texture or bright orange color of a good pumpkin soup. It can be really delicious, and is an experience that everyone should have at least once.

Serve up your favorite pumpkin soup in bowls or mugs, cook it right in the pumpkin, or hollow out a pumpkin to serve as centerpiece and serving dish, too. Garnish with green onion, chopped parsley, or sweet spices like cloves and cinnamon. While your family might start out skeptical, they will end up loving this unique dish.

Pumpkin soups are not just creamy and tasty enough to make you come back for more. They are also packed full of vitamins A and C, iron, fiber and many other important nutrients. You will not feel like you have to virtuously eat your vegetables when you make pumpkin soup, however. Even the kids will love it.

Try a southeast Asian inspired pumpkin soup recipe easy and quick. With a little carrot and coconut, you have a spicy, exotic treat that is great served during those last hot late summer days, when pumpkins first appear at roadside stands. Of course, to try this soup when pumpkins are not in season, just used frozen or canned products.

The ideal type of pumpkin to use in a soup of this kind is the smaller kind, often called a pie pumpkin or sugar pumpkin. Do not make the mistake of using the kind you would give the kids to carve up on Halloween. Pie pumpkins are specially bred for eating, not looks, and will be sweeter, smaller, and more tender than their bigger, woodier cousins will. Prep these pumpkins for cooking by slicing them in half and removing the seeds, then chop them into wedges.

Next, peel your pumpkin and cook the flesh until it is soft, or boil or bake it, then scoop the meat out of the skin once the pieces have cooled off. Either way, compost the parings or use them to make stock, then mash the pulp or put it in the blender.

Include alliums like onions and garlic, rich dairy, soy, or coconut milks, and sweet spices for a fantastic soup. Use vegetable or chicken broth to add extra flavor, and blend the whole soup partially or completely for the desired texture. Some prefer their soup velvety smooth, while others would rather have a few small pieces to add interest. Whichever you prefer, all you have to do afterward is chill and serve!

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