Curried Pumpkin and Chickpea Soup

Name: Curried Pumpkin and Chickpea Soup
Cook time: 25 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 10 ml vegetable oil divided; 150 g yellow onion small dice; 12 g garlic minced; 10 g fresh ginger peeled and grated; 8 g curry powder ground; 2 g ground cumin ground; 2 g ground coriander ground; 1 g turmeric ground; 0.5 g cayenne pepper ground; 6 g salt divided; 1 g black pepper ground; 30 g tomato paste paste; 450 g pumpkin purée canned or homemade puréed pumpkin; 240 g cooked chickpeas drained and rinsed if canned; 750 ml vegetable broth low-sodium; 400 ml coconut milk full-fat, well shaken; 2 g salt divided; 15 ml lime juice freshly squeezed; 10 g cilantro roughly chopped; 5 ml vegetable oil divided

This soup builds a silky pumpkin base, then adds chickpeas for body and bite. Bloomed spices and aromatics give it a curry-house profile, while coconut milk and lime keep the finish rounded and fresh.

By Julienne

Cook time: 25 minutes

Servings: 4

Ingredients

10 ml vegetable oil divided
150 g yellow onion small dice
12 g garlic minced
10 g fresh ginger peeled and grated
8 g curry powder ground
2 g ground cumin ground
2 g ground coriander ground
1 g turmeric ground
0.5 g cayenne pepper ground
6 g salt divided
1 g black pepper ground
30 g tomato paste paste
450 g pumpkin purée canned or homemade puréed pumpkin
240 g cooked chickpeas drained and rinsed if canned
750 ml vegetable broth low-sodium
400 ml coconut milk full-fat, well shaken
2 g salt divided
15 ml lime juice freshly squeezed
10 g cilantro roughly chopped
5 ml vegetable oil divided

Instructions

Heat 10 ml of the vegetable oil in a 5 L pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring often, until softened but not browned. The onion is translucent and smells sweet, about 5 minutes.
Add the garlic, ginger, curry powder, cumin, coriander, turmeric, cayenne if using, 6 g of the salt, and the black pepper. Stir for 30 seconds, then add the tomato paste and cook until it darkens slightly. The spices smell fragrant and the tomato paste looks brick-red and glossy, about 1 minute.
Stir in the pumpkin purée, chickpeas, vegetable broth, and coconut milk. Bring to a simmer, then lower the heat and cook gently, partially covered, until the flavors meld. The soup is bubbling gently and the chickpeas are hot throughout, about 15 minutes.
Blend the soup until smooth or leave it slightly chunky if preferred. Taste and add the remaining 2 g salt and the lime juice. If the soup is too thick, add a small splash of water as needed from the tap, then simmer 2 minutes more. The soup is silky, tastes balanced, and coats a spoon without being paste-thick.
Ladle into bowls and finish with the cilantro. Use the remaining 5 ml vegetable oil as an optional swirl on top if you want a richer finish. The cilantro looks fresh on top and the soup is ready to serve hot.