Pumpkin soup is naturally soft and mellow. This version gets its depth from ginger, cumin and turmeric, then picks up contrast from salty yogurt, pickled hot peppers and a crisp Panjiri garnish.
The recipe was developed for Babo's Kitchen by Meena of What Meena Makes. She used Babo's Original Panjiri in the photographed bowl, where its gentle sweetness plays against the herbs and hot peppers. Unsweetened Panjiri works beautifully too if you want the topping to lean completely savory.
Lightly toasted with ghee, lemon thyme, rosemary and pumpkin seeds, Panjiri becomes more than a breakfast or snacking ingredient. Here, it gives a smooth bowl of soup the texture it was missing.
Makes approximately 8 cups.
INGREDIENTS
For the pumpkin soup
- 1 sugar pie pumpkin, about 3 pounds after deseeding, cut into large pieces
- 1 tablespoon olive oil for roasting, plus additional olive oil for sauteing
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
- 2 chicken bouillon cubes, or vegetable bouillon cubes for a vegetarian version
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, plus more for roasting
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more for roasting and to taste
- 8 cups water
For the savory Panjiri garnish
- 1/4 cup Babo's Original Panjiri or Babo's Unsweetened Panjiri
- 1 tablespoon pumpkin seeds
- 1 teaspoon unsalted butter or ghee
- 1/2 teaspoon lemon thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon minced rosemary
- 2 tablespoons plain yogurt
- Pickled hot red peppers, to taste
- Flake salt, to taste
METHOD
- Roast the pumpkin. Preheat the oven to 425°F. Toss the pumpkin pieces with 1 tablespoon olive oil and season with salt and black pepper. Arrange them on a parchment-lined sheet pan and roast for about 20 minutes, or until completely tender. Let the pumpkin cool slightly, then scoop the flesh away from the skin.
- Build the soup base. Add enough olive oil to lightly coat the bottom of a large pot. Cook the onion over medium heat for about 15 minutes, until softened with lightly browned edges. Add the diced red bell pepper and continue cooking until tender.
- Add the spices. Stir in the ginger, cumin, turmeric, black pepper and kosher salt. Add the roasted pumpkin flesh and lightly mash it into the vegetables with the back of a spoon or a potato masher.
- Simmer. Add the bouillon cubes and 8 cups of water. Cover the pot and bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes.
- Blend. Use an immersion blender to puree the soup to your preferred consistency. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper as needed. Keep warm over low heat while you prepare the garnish.
- Toast the pumpkin seeds and Panjiri. Toast the pumpkin seeds in a dry skillet until fragrant, then roughly chop them. Transfer them to a bowl. In the same skillet, lightly toast the Panjiri over low heat just until fragrant. Transfer it to the bowl with the pumpkin seeds. If you are using Original Panjiri, keep the heat gentle so the lightly sweetened mixture does not scorch.
- Make the herb butter. Melt the butter or ghee in the skillet. Add the lemon thyme and rosemary and let them sizzle for 1 to 2 minutes. Pour the warm herb butter over the Panjiri and pumpkin seeds. Add flake salt to taste and toss everything together.
- Finish the yogurt. Thin the yogurt with a small splash of water and season it with a pinch of salt.
- Serve. Ladle the pumpkin soup into bowls. Spoon over the yogurt, add the savory Panjiri garnish and finish with pickled hot red peppers to taste.
Original Panjiri adds a gentle sweet-savory contrast that works especially well with pumpkin and pickled hot peppers. Unsweetened Panjiri keeps the garnish entirely savory while preserving the same roasted lentils, nuts, seeds, coconut, cardamom and ghee. Both give the soup a layered crunch that croutons cannot quite replicate.
Looking for more ways to use Panjiri beyond the breakfast bowl? Browse Babo's recipes or explore Original and Unsweetened Panjiri.
Recipe developed by Meena Hussain of What Meena Makes for Babo's Kitchen.
