Have you ever tried to make your own Thai food? With this Thai Curry pumpkin Soup you can add other ingredients if you like, or simply swap some of ingredients if you like too.

YIELD: _{4-6 SERVINGS} TOTAL TIME: _{30-45 MINUTES}

INGREDIENTS:

1 (14-ounce) can coconut milk

2 tablespoons yellow Thai curry paste, or red

2 cups vegetable stock

1 lb extra firm tofu, chopped into small cubes

3 tablespoons fish sauce (recommended: Nam Pla) 

omit for a vegan version

2 tablespoons unrefined sugar

3 lemongrass stalks,

 each cut into 1/3's and bruised with the flat of a knife

3 lime leaves, stalked and cut into strips, optional

1 teaspoon turmeric

2 1/2 pounds pumpkin or butter nut squash,

 peeled and cut into large, bite-sized chunks

1 large red pepper, chopped

1/2 to 1 lime, juiced or more to taste

Fresh cilantro, chopped

Brown Basmati rice, optional

DIRECTIONS:

1. Add the coconut milk and paste to the dutch oven pot and using a fork or wooden spoon, beat milk and paste together until combined.
2. Add the stock, fish sauce, sugar, lemongrass, lime leaves (if using) and turmeric.
3. Bring to a boil and then add the pumpkin, red pepper and tofu. 
4. Cook on a fast simmer until the pumpkin is tender, about 15-20 minutes, although different sorts of pumpkins can vary enormously in the time they take to cook. Some squash can take a little as 5 minutes. 
5. Take the pan off the heat and sprinkle over the cilantro. 
6. Eat as it or with some brown Basmati rice.