Pumpkin and Peanut Soup
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Makes: 4 servings
It's finally cold here. The temperature fluctuates a lot and as we move into March we've had some of the coldest days yet. Laughably, cold here is only like 55 degrees but I want to get some more soups in the rotation before the temperature stays high. West African cuisine, including Gambian and Ghanaian, often features habanero chiles and peanuts and a peanut or groundnut soup comes in many variations. My first introduction to this mix of ingredients was through Mollie Katzen’s “West African Peanut Soup” which calls out a recipe from Sierra Leone. I don’t have her cookbooks with me here in Florida but I started researching this soup recently to learn more about its origins. This one is spicy, savory, and well-balanced and I’ve intentionally left the region out of the title since there are many geographically specific variations across the continent. The peanut butter, honey, yogurt, and coconut milk do not cut the spice but help offset it for a nice balance of heat and richness. Highly recommended if you're a fan of peanut butter and pumpkin.
Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, peeled and diced
4 garlic cloves, smashed
1 (1-inch) piece ginger, peeled and chopped
½ habanero chile
1 (14-ounce) can pumpkin purée
3 cups vegetable stock
1 (13-ounce) can coconut milk
1 tablespoon honey
¼ cup unsweetened natural peanut butter
coarse, kosher salt
2 tablespoons chives, sliced, for serving
¼ cup yogurt, for serving
cilantro, for serving
pumpkin seeds, for serving
Preparation
Heat oil over medium heat in a large pot.
Add onion, garlic, and ginger, and cook, stirring frequently until softened, about 4 minutes. Pour in the chile and pumpkin purée and stir to mix. Whisk in the stock and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. You want it to reduce and thicken.
To cut the spice, remove the chile. (I keep it in because I like to live dangerously). Add coconut milk, honey, and peanut butter. Purée until smooth with an immersion blender or a standing blender (working in batches).
Season with salt and keep warm over low heat. Do not bring the soup back to a simmer or a boil or the peanut butter will separate.
To Serve
Divide soup between bowls. Garnish with chives, cilantro, pumpkin seeds, and a dollop of yogurt. Serve with warm sourdough.
