Thai pumpkin soup

Thai pumpkin soup is made with shrimp, coconut milk and chili peppers.

Ingredients

• Pumpkin, pulp - 450 g
• Boiled shrimps (peeled) - 120 g
• Shrimp paste - 0.5 tsp
• Coconut milk - 600 g
• Garlic (chopped through a press) - 2 cloves
• Shallots (finely chopped) - 4 pcs.
• Lemon grass (chopped) - 1 stem
• Green chili pepper (peeled from seeds) - 2 pcs.
• Chicken broth - 600 g
• Fish sauce - 30 g
• Sugar - 1 tsp
• Salt to taste
• Ground black pepper - to taste
• Red chili pepper (cut into rings) - 2 pcs. (for serving)
• Fresh basil - 10-12 leaves (for serving)

Directions

1. Cut the pumpkin into 2 cm pieces.
2. In a mortar, mix the garlic, shallots, shrimp paste, lemongrass, chili and salt, and grind with a pestle until they are pasty (you can do this with a kitchen processor).
3. Bring the chicken stock to a boil in a large saucepan. Put pumpkin in broth, cook pumpkin soup for 10-15 minutes, until soft.
4. Add coconut milk to a saucepan, heat well, but do not bring to a boil. Add fish sauce, sugar and black pepper to the Thai pumpkin soup.
5. Put the shrimps in a saucepan, cook for a couple of minutes. Serve Thai Pumpkin Soup in portioned bowls, garnished with red chili and basil leaves.