Curried Acorn Squash Soup

For some reason, my camera wouldn't focus at all today...! 

I love me a good curry. I mean, a really good curry. And when you're in the mood for a really spicy curry, and a really filling soup, this really hits the spot.

This recipe might call for a few things that you've never heard of before, or don't even have in your kitchen, like garam malasa and asofoteida. That's OK. Spices can be replaced as long as you know how they each influence the dish! That's how you start getting creative.

Garam Masala is a spice blend used in North Indian cuisine. It isn't "hot" spicy at all, but it is certainly aromatic. Main spices in Garam Masala can be: cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, peppercorns, cumin, cardamom, coriander, and the like. Please check out the wikipedia link to find out more about this versatile blend.

Asofoteida is kind of like onion powder... except with a really nasty aftertaste. Despite how much displeasure I have in using asofoteida, using just a PINCH of it really rounds out the flavor of any Indian-inspired dish.

The majority of ingredients in today's soup

Even if you have only a simple "curry powder" you can remove most of the spices and replace them with the curry powder. Here's how that would work: Remove the cinnamon stick, bay leaf, mustard seeds, garam masala, cayenne, and asofoteida; replace it all with about 2 tsp of curry powder instead. It will still be pretty good, but there's an added richness that you get from combining these ingredients separately.

And this soup turns out SPICY. Beware! It's pretty darn hot! (If I wanted to make it more "authentic," fresh chili peppers would have sauteed with the onion & garlic instead of adding a dash of cayenne pepper. Those are, naturally, even hotter than the powder!). In order to remove the heat, either 1) reduce the amount of cayenne pepper, or 2) eat this soup with a lot of rice. (I eat this soup with a LOT of rice! It's sooo filling.)

The more heat, the better, I say. Hot foods improve digestion, and I'm all about good health. Enjoy the recipe!

 For this recipe, you'll need a medium size soup pot with a lid, and a good blender.

Curry Acorn Squash Soup
(serves 2)

1 1/2 tsp earth balance
1 cinnamon stick
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1 small red onion
2 cloves garlic
1/2 acorn squash
1 carrot
1 tsp garam masala
1/4 - 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 pinch asofoteida
2 cups vegetable broth

DIRECTIONS

Heat soup pot on low. Sautee cinnamon stick, bay leaf, & mustard seeds in earth balance till fragrant. Add garlic & onion. Sautee till wilted & fragrant. Add diced squash & carrot. Mix till warmed through. Add spices (Garam masala, cayenne, asofoteida). Mix well.

Add water and mix. Keep heat on low. Once boiling, simmer with the lid on the pot for 10-12 minutes. After the carrots & squash are soft, turn off heat. Transfer soup to a high-speed blender. Blend thoroughly.

Notes: This soup tastes better the next day, after being refrigerated. The spices are really enhanced this way. I always make it the night before, then eat it over the course of the next day over lots of brown rice.