Curried Kabocha Squash Soup

The best part of any tempura plate has to be the thin, crescent-moon shaped slices of kabocha squash. Smooth and sweet - the sweetest of the winter squashes - they always seem to steal the show. This curry-spiced squash soup is a great way to savor the flavor of kabocha squash without anything else getting in the way.

For the past few weeks, the farmers market's been overflowing with winter squash. This last Saturday, though, these beautiful organic sweet maui onions appeared. Then I remembered this soup recipe, and that the two main ingredients are kabocha squash and onion. Bingo.

This soup is straightforward and easy to prepare. The flavor of the curry powder - earthy, with some lingering heat - compliments the natural sweetness of the kabocha squash. Finish it off with a pinch of cayenne pepper to kick up the heat, and a dollop of yogurt to add some creaminess, and you've got yourself a quick and delicious cold weather soup.

TIP: Unlike other squash, kabocha should have time for it to ripen off the vine to mellow and sweeten the flavor. Select kabocha that feel heavy for its size. They should also be streaked with gray, and the stem should feel dry and hollow, like a cork.

Curried Kabocha Squash Soup

Adapted from a recipe in Sunset Magazine

Savor the flavors of the sweetest of the winter squashes. Curry powder rounds things out with some earthiness and faint heat. Select kabocha that are heavy for it's size. They should also have gray streaks on the outside, and the stem should feel dry and hollow, like cork.

Yield: Serves 3-4
 

Ingredients

  • 1 kabocha squash, about 2 ½ pounds
  • 2 tablespoons butter, melted
  • 2 teaspoons curry powder
  • 1 medium onion, halved
  • 3 cups vegetable or chicken broth
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of cayenne
  • about 4 tablespoons plain yogurt (to garnish)
     

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°. Carefully slice the kabocha in half lengthwise with a large knife. You might need a mallet to help pierce the outside of the squash. Scoop out the seeds.
     
  2. Combine the butter and the curry powder. Brush over the cut surfaces of the squash and onion. Place squash and onion cut sides down on a large baking pan. Bake in oven until squash is soft when pressed, about 1 hour.
     
  3. Remove from oven and let cool for 10-15 minutes. Scoop flesh out of squash and remove skin from onion. Chop onion. Blend squash and onion, in batches if need be, with 3 cups of broth and any juices from the baking pan. 
     
  4. Pour purée into large pan. Heat over medium-high heat, thinning with more broth if you like. Add salt and cayenne and simmer, stirring, until hot.
     
  5. Serve with a dollop (1 tablespoon per bowl) of yogurt. Enjoy!