This recipe brings together several things I grow in my garden each year–squash, bird peppers, cilantro. Coconut milk is an essential ingredient as well, which used to be hard to find, but which you can now buy in nearly any supermarket. You can adjust the heat of the peppers, depending on preference.
Ingredients:
One medium butternut squash, peeled and diced
1/4 cup minced shallots
3-4 small Thai bird chile peppers, seeded, chopped (leave some seeds for more heat)
3 cloves minced garlic
2 inch piece of ginger, minced
2 vegetable bouillon cubes
1 small can coconut milk (5 oz?)
3 tablespoons of dried coconut (found in Indian stores)
butter
juice of 1-2 limes
3-4 tablespoons cilantro
honey to taste
salt and white pepper to taste
1. Saute shallots, garlic, ginger in butter until translucent.
2. Add squash, add water to cover, add in bouillon cubes and coconut milk; simmer until soft and cooked through.
3. Puree soup (with handheld or tabletop blender, or food processor.
4. Add juice from one lime, chopped cilantro, taste, add more lime if necessary. Add honey sparingly if too sour. Season with salt and white pepper.
5. Serve with sprinkle of chopped cilantro, swirl in some coconut milk for color.
FoodIowa 