Pumpkin & Coconut Laksa

Name: Pumpkin & Coconut Laksa
Prep time: 10 min
Total time: 50 min
Ingredients: 1 delica pumpkin or butternut squash; peeled; halved and deseeded; 2 tablespoons olive oil; Sea salt; 2 tablespoons vegetable oil; 4 shallots; thinly sliced; 4 tablespoons of the curry paste (see below); 3 tablespoons coconut palm sugar or pure maple syrup; 11⁄2 teaspoons sea salt; zest and juice of 1 lime (about 2 tablespoons); plus another lime; cut into wedges; to serve; 2 tablespoons tamarind paste (alternatively use another 2 tablespoons of lime juice); 2 x 400-ml cans coconut milk; 400 ml vegetable stock; handful of spinach leaves; 200 g rice noodles; 1⁄2 a red onion; sliced; 1 fresh red chilli; deseeded and thinly sliced; small handful of fresh mint leaves; For the curry paste:; 3 fresh red chillies; deseeded; 2 teaspoons chilli flakes; 4 shallots

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Ingredients

1 delica pumpkin or butternut squash, peeled, halved and deseeded
2 tablespoons olive oil
Sea salt
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
4 shallots, thinly sliced
4 tablespoons of the curry paste (see below)
3 tablespoons coconut palm sugar or pure maple syrup
11⁄2 teaspoons sea salt
zest and juice of 1 lime (about 2 tablespoons), plus another lime, cut into wedges, to serve
2 tablespoons tamarind paste (alternatively use another 2 tablespoons of lime juice)
2 x 400-ml cans coconut milk
400 ml vegetable stock
handful of spinach leaves
200 g rice noodles
1⁄2 a red onion, sliced
1 fresh red chilli, deseeded and thinly sliced
small handful of fresh mint leaves
For the curry paste:
3 fresh red chillies, deseeded
2 teaspoons chilli flakes
4 shallots, roughly chopped
5 garlic cloves, peeled
3 lemongrass stalks, outer leaves and woody ends removed, chopped
3-cm piece fresh ginger, skin scraped off with a teaspoon
1 tablespoons ground coriander
1 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoons ground turmeric
4 lime leaves (optional)

Instructions

For the curry paste, add everything to a food processor with 6 tablespoons of water and blitz until you have a paste, scraping down the sides when needed. This will take at least 2 minutes of constant blitzing.
Preheat the oven to 180°C (360ºF) Gas 4. Cut the pumpkin or squash halves into 3 cm chunks, drizzle with the olive oil, season with salt and roast in the preheated oven for 30 minutes until cooked through.
Place a large pot with 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil over a medium heat. Add in the shallots and stir-fry for a few minutes until softened. Turn down the heat, add 4 tablespoons of the curry paste and cook gently for 5 minutes until fragrant. Add in the sugar or maple syrup, salt, lime zest and juice and tamarind paste. Cook for another few minutes until the sugar has dissolved and everything is sizzling. Add in the coconut milk and stock and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, and simmer briskly for 10 minutes. Taste the soup and if necessary adjust the seasoning with a little more salt, lime juice or coconut palm sugar. You should be able to taste all the sour, salty and sweet elements quite strongly. Add in the cooked pumpkin or squash and the spinach leaves, stirring into the sauce until slightly wilted.
Cook the noodles in boiling water, according to the packet instructions. Ladle the soup into bowls and then add in a mound of noodles. Scatter over some of the red onion, chilli and mint leaves and serve immediately with the lime wedges to squeeze over.