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Jamaican pumpkin soup
Pumpkin soup: calabaza with carrot, chocho, thyme and scotch bonnet
Ital kitchens in the Blue Mountains cook pumpkin soup on cool evenings, when the mist comes down over the coffee farms and something golden and peppery is needed. This one is meat-free and dairy-free: calabaza, carrot and chocho simmer with thyme, scallion and pimento until the pumpkin breaks down into a thick, naturally sweet broth, with a few spinners for chew. People often add the scotch bonnet already cut, which can make the whole pot ferociously hot; drop it in whole and take it out when the soup tastes right. Chocho (chayote) is optional, and courgette is a fair swap. Chef's tip: leave the soup chunky rather than blending; Jamaicans like to see the pieces of pumpkin collapsing into it.
- Total time
- 60 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
- 2 ¼ lb pumpkincalabaza or butternut, peeled, in 3 cm chunks
- 2 carrotssliced
- 1 chayotepeeled, cored, diced (or 1 courgette)
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
- 1 onionchopped
- 3 cloves garliccrushed
- 3 spring onionschopped
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1.8 litres water
- 1 scotch bonnetwhole
- 1 ½ tsp salt
- 2 ⅞ oz plain flourfor the spinners
- 3 tbsp cold waterfor the spinners
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Heat 1 tbsp coconut oil in a large pot over medium heat and soften 1 onion, 3 cloves garlic and 3 spring onions for 4 minutes.
4 minStep 2: Add 2 ¼ lb pumpkin, 2 carrots, 1 chayote, 4 sprigs fresh thyme, 6 allspice berries, 1.8 litres water, 1 scotch bonnet and 1 ½ tsp salt. Bring to the boil, then simmer partly covered for 25 minutes.
25 minStep 3: Mix 2 ⅞ oz plain flour with a pinch of salt and enough of 3 tbsp cold water to make a stiff dough. Roll small pieces into thin spinners and add them to the pot.
5 minStep 4: Simmer for 15 minutes more, stirring often, until the pumpkin has broken down into a thick broth and the spinners are firm. Press some pumpkin pieces against the pot with the spoon if you want it thicker.
15 minStep 5: Taste the soup and lift out the scotch bonnet once it is as hot as you like. Remove the thyme stalks and serve.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 170 kcal
- Protein
- 4 g
- Carbs
- 32 g
- Fat
- 3 g
- Fibre
- 5 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does jamaican pumpkin soup take?
- About 60 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 45 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- What can I use instead of carrots?
- Parsnip or sweet potato, same weight.
- What can I use instead of onion?
- 2 shallots per onion.
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