Young Thai Coconut, both the water and meat** (a little over 2 cups, total)
1teaspoonfresh ginger, minced
1teaspooncurry powder
1/2teaspoonfine sea salt
water, if needed for desired texture
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 400F.
Cut the squash in half, lengthwise, and place the halves face-down on a baking sheet. Bake for 30-45 minutes, until the skin can be easily pierced with a fork. (Don't worry if you over-cook them a bit, like I did... squash is very forgiving.) You'll only need one half of the squash for this recipe, so reserve the other half for another meal!
While the squash is cooking, melt the coconut oil in a skillet over medium-high heat and saute the diced onion and garlic until translucent and tender, about 8 minutes. Feel free to use a splash of water, if needed, to prevent sticking. Set aside to cool.
Now it's time for the most daunting part. Opening the coconut! All you need is a decent cleaver, and one hand kept safely behind your back. I simply whack away around the center, until the top can be easily popped off! Pour all of the water into the container of your blender, then use a spoon to scrape out the white flesh. Blend both the coconut meat and water in the blender until it reaches a thick coconut "milk" consistency.
To the coconut milk, add the rest of the ingredients-- including half of the roasted squash, cooked onions and garlic, curry, ginger and salt. Blend until completely smooth and creamy, then adjust the taste and texture to your liking, adding a bit of water to thin, if needed.
Transfer the soup to a sauce pot, and heat over the stove until piping hot.
Serve immediately!
Notes
*Canned pumpkin or squash can be used instead of fresh. **A 16 oz. can of coconut milk can also be substituted in a pinch. I garnished our bowls with a simple dash of freshly grated nutmeg, but other delicious toppings might include a handful of dried cranberries and walnuts, for a burst of crunch and sweetness.