Pumpkin Curry Soup

But curry isn’t something I grew up with. I first tried it during The Great Solo European Backpacking Adventure of 2001 (ten countries in eight weeks, but it would take more than a single blog entry to do justice to this topic), on my second night in London. The first night, I ventured into a little pub for dinner, and was served a plateful of dry, stringy roast beef and overcooked vegetables (if I recall correctly, they were peas and carrots). Suffice it to say I was not impressed with British food.

The next night, I did myself a favor and read my guidebook before dinner-hunting. It stated bluntly that aside from fish and chips, there wasn’t much to be had by way of great food (I hear London’s restaurant offerings have since improved), but that the sizeable Indian population in the city ensured that one could get fabulous Indian fare without going too far or paying too much. Thus, I went in search of the nearest Indian restaurant. I remember telling the waitress that I had no idea what to order, and asking her to choose something for me. I don’t know what I ate, but it was some kind of chicken curry. One bite, and a relationship was born.

I love curry for its warmth, for its savoriness, and for the way it can be combined with something sweet, like the honey in the recipe below, to create a unique paradox on the tongue.

My favorite curry recipe of late is this Pumpkin Curry Soup, adapted from a recipe I begged from my friend Heather. It’s wintery and comforting, and has that sweet-spicy thing going on that leaves your mouth just a little warm afterward. I’m also something of a pumpkin junkie in the fall and winter (pumpkin bread, pumpkin cookies, Starbucks’ Pumpkin Spice Lattes, pumpkin muffins), so the combination of pumpkin and curry together just works for me.

I made a huge pot of this soup for my mother’s Christmas Bake Day this year (picture this: eight women crowded into one kitchen, covered in flour and sugar, madly baking cookies for 12 hours straight – but again, that’s a topic for another time). It was gone in 10 minutes flat. It doesn’t take long to make, and the recipe can be doubled or tripled to feed as many people as you can crowd around your table. Serve it with a simple green salad and some dense, nutty artisan-style bread.

1 medium yellow onion, chopped

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

In a large soup pot, sautee the onion in butter over medium heat until golden and tender. Reduce the heat, and stir in the flour and curry powder until fully incorporated. Gradually add the broth, increasing the heat, and bring to a boil. Stir in the pumpkin, evaporated milk, honey, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Simmer gently 30-45 minutes, stirring often, to allow the flavors to marry. Mmm!