Thai pumpkin soup with gruyère toasties

Thai flavours like ginger, lemongrass, chilli and coconut are perfect complements to pumpkin in this soup, and surprisingly, it's delicious served with a very French gruyère toastie.

Thai pumpkin soup with gruyère toasties Credit: Richo's Bar Snacks

• serves

  4

• prep

  15 minutes

• cook

  20 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

• 2–3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 cup onion, finely diced
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 2 cm piece ginger, peeled, finely chopped
• 1 long red chilli, seeds removed, sliced
• 1 tbsp lemongrass, chopped
• ½ bunch coriander, stalk and leaves chopped
• 500 g butternut pumpkin, peeled, diced
• 1 tbsp coconut sugar
• 1 lime, juiced
• 1 tsp fish sauce
• 270 ml coconut cream
• 500 ml water
• 4 slices bread
• 200 g gruyère, grated
• 1 tbsp finely chopped chives
• 20 g butter

Instructions

1. In a hot, heavy-based pan over medium heat, add oil, onion, garlic, ginger, chilli, lemongrass, and coriander. Stir. Season with salt and pepper. Stir for 3–4 minutes, or until softened.
2. Add pumpkin, coconut sugar, lime juice, fish sauce and coconut cream. Top up enough water to cover pumpkin.  Simmer for 15–20 minutes, or until pumpkin is soft.
3. Meanwhile, assemble toasties. Butter side of each bread slice. Distribute cheese and chives between 2 bread slices. Season with pepper and top with a slice of buttered bread. Cook on a hot pan, weighted down with a lid, for 2–3 minutes, or until golden on both sides. 
4. Use a stick blender to puree pumpkin mixture.
5. Remove crusts from toasties and slice into three fingers. Stack and skewer to keep in place. Serve next to bowls of pumpkin soup.

 

This recipe is from Richo's Bar Snacks on SBS Food (Channel 33). Stream episodes via SBS On Demand.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.