Thai Butternut Soup with Crispy Salt & Chilli Topper

• servings: Serves: 2 at 350 kcal &
• total time: 38 minutes

Ingredients

1 large (approx) 600 g butternut squash, peeled and diced (reserve a small handful for the topper)

600 ml chicken stock

1 large carrot, chopped

2 sticks celery, chopped

2 large spring onions, finely sliced

1 big heaped tbsp Thai red curry paste

2 tbsp full fat cottage cheese (or use coconut cream)

160 g cooked shredded chicken

Soy sauce and fish sauce, to taste

Lime and coriander to serve

For the topper

Cupped handful of reserved butternut, into a smaller 1 cm dice

½ tsp Chinese 5-spice

¼ tsp white pepper

½ tsp garlic granules

1 tsp toasted sesame oil

1 tsp honey

1 tbsp mixed seeds or pumpkin seeds

1 spring onion, finely diced (add after roasting)

Directions

Heat the Thai red curry paste and the sliced spring onion and sauté 1–2 minutes until fragrant; add the carrot, celery and the butternut and cook 3–4 minutes to lightly colour; pour in the stock, bring to a boil, then simmer 15–18 minutes with the lid on until the veg is soft.

For the topper, toss the 1 cm diced reserved butternut with 5-spice, white pepper, garlic granules, sesame oil, honey and a pinch of salt (keep the spring onion out) spread on a lined tray and roast at 200°C (fan) for 12-15 minutes until starting to colour, then scatter over the seeds and roast 3-4 minutes more until the squash is golden and the seeds are toasted; immediately toss with the finely diced spring onion.

Take the soup off the heat and blend smooth with a stick blender, then add the cottage cheese and blend again until silky. Season to taste with soy and fish sauce. Loosen with a splash of hot water if its too thick, stir the shredded chicken through the hot soup to warm. Ladle the soup into bowls, scatter over the topper.

Serve with fresh coriander and lime wedges.

Nutrition

• Serving Size: serves 2
• Calories: 350
• Protein: 30 g