An unexpected flight back to the UK to avoid the worst of Storm Chiara meant a day hunkered down with my daughter and grandson making roasted pumpkin, coconut and ginger soup. A Thai-inspired winter warmer with a chill kick, perfect for a wet and windy day!

Ingredients

A medium size pumpkin, this one was green, organic and grown locally in Berkshire
2 large shallots or small onions
A tin of coconut milk
2 cm fresh ginger, finely grated
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp cinnamon
A large pinch of dried chilli flakes, more if you prefer a bigger kick
A vegetable stock cube

Methods

First, cut the pumpkin into slices, drizzle with oil, season and cook in a reasonably hot oven until lighly caramalised. This really brings out the flavours and gives the soup a much deeper flavour.

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Next, finely chop the shallots and fry in vegetable or coconut oil. Add the freshly grated ginger and spices and cook until soft and lighly browned. Once the pumpkin has cooled, remove the skin, roughly chop into chunks and add to the fried onions and spices with a generous cup of vegetable stock (you can always add more water later if its too thick). Simmer for 20 minutes adding the coconut milk half way through. Season well and allow to cool before blending.

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And that’s it! Simple and delicious, best served with a chunk of wholegrain or granary bread and an afternoon in the company of those you love.