Miso pumpkin soup

Step 1

Pre-heat the oven to 225° C / 435° F and line a baking tray with a piece of baking paper.

Step 2

Wash the skin of the butternut squash well. Instead of peeling and cubing the squash, which requires quite a bit of effort, cut it into 1.5 cm / 0.5 " slices and then into half moons. Brush the flesh with a bit of olive oil and bake for about 40 mins, until caramelised and soft. Turn the the pieces over halfway through the baking time. Let the roasted squash get cool enough to handle and peel the skin off then.

Step 3

Heat up 2 tbsp of oil in a pot on a low-medium flame. Throw in diced shallots. Cook them for a minute or so then add in chopped garlic, ginger and chilli (if using). Keep on stirring the mixture frequently so that the aromatics don't burn. Cook for about 3-4 minutes.

Step 4

Once the squash is roasted, add it to the pot and coat it in the shallot, garlic, chilli and ginger mixture.

Step 5

Take the pot off the heat and puree until smooth using a hand-blender or transfer to an upright blender and puree with some stock.

Step 6

Put miso paste in a small bowl with 2-3 tablespoons of warm water. Whisk the miso with a wire whisk so that it transforms into a smooth and thick paste.

Step 7

Put blended soup back into the pot, add miso paste and warm up (don't let the soup boil as excessive heat destroys the nutritional properties of the miso paste).

Step 8

Season with lime juice and serve topped with a bit of coconut cream, some spring onions, sesame seeds and fresh coriander.