Red Thai Spiced Butternut Squash soup With Jasmine Rice

Preparation

• 1
  Preheat the oven to 200 degrees, or 180 degrees fan oven and warm 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a roasting tray. Peel the squashes and cut into cubes, toss in the oil and roast for 40 minutes until soft and beginning to brown.
• 2
  Peel and finely slice the onion, peel and finely chop the garlic, peel and grate the ginger then deseed and finely chop 1 red chilli. Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a pan and gently saute the onion for 2 minutes.
• 3
  Add the garlic, ginger and chilli and saute gently for a further 2 minutes. Stir in the curry paste, ground coriander and cumin, and a pinch of chilli flakes, if using, and cook together for just 1 minute.
• 4
  Add the roasted butternut squash and then stir in the hot vegetable stock and the coconut milk. Simmer gently for 10 minutes and season with salt and black pepper. Stir in the fish sauce, the juice of the lime and the brown sugar.
• 5
  Meanwhile, cook the Jasmine rice; allow 25-30g dry weight per person.
• 6
  Turn off the heat and blend the soup. Drain and thoroughly rinse the rice with boiled water and spoon into individual dishes. Ladle on the soup and garnish with a sprinkling of chopped peanuts and coriander, and a little finely chopped red chilli.