A Swirl of Soup

By Liza Chernobay (Features Editor)

Illustration by: Sylvain Chan

There is nothing that whispers ‘Autumn’ to me more than a warm bowl of soup. I grew up devouring bowlfuls of my mum’s chunky vegetable soup and my grandparents’ signature borscht (East-European beetroot soup) with dollops of sour cream and freshly chopped dill. Like a mother’s hug, soups have this innate power in them to melt your heart, fill your belly, and make you feel at home wherever you are.

Once you become a university student, you have no choice but to start adulting–even if you are not keen on the idea. While we grow up at our own pace and in our own  ways, an important step towards independent adulthood for me was learning how to cook soup. 

I haven’t yet dared to recreate my family’s secret recipes, but with trial and error, I have invented my own classic – the spiced butternut squash soup. It’s both sweet and savoury, with a hint of gingery zing, and surprisingly easy to make. With practice and the right equipment, you can whip it up in 20 mins. 

You will need: 

• an immersion blender 

• a pot and a (preferably wooden) spoon

Ingredients (for 4 servings):

• 2 packs (400 g) of cut-up microwaveable butternut squash (or cubed squash and sweet potato from Sainsbury’s)*

• 1 can (400 ml) of coconut milk 

• 1 to 2 tbsp fresh/frozen ginger, cubed

• 1/2 vegetable stock cube

• a pinch of nutmeg, cinnamon, turmeric and/or curry powder (to taste)

• salt (to taste)

• ½ to1 cup boiled water (to thin the soup)

*buying pre-chopped microwaveable squash will save you time, but if you want to roast your own, I recommend slicing a squash in half, coating it with a little olive oil and roasting it, cut side down, at 200°C for about 30 mins.

Optional: you can experiment with other root veggies like carrots, potatoes or parsnips. 

To serve:

• a drizzle of olive oil,balsamic vinegar, and coconut milk

• a crack of black pepper

• pumpkin seeds, toasted on a pan

• pea shoots

• roast chestnuts

Method:

1. Cook the squash in the microwave according to the instructions on the pack.
2. Heat up ½ cup water in the pot on medium heat, add in the crumbled stock cube and spices, stirring.
3. Add in the ginger and coconut milk, reserving 1 tbsp of the milk for garnish. Warm it up for 1-2 minutes while stirring, until small bubbles start appearing. Do not overboil. 
4. Carefully remove from heat, add in the squash, and blend until smooth using the immersion blender.
5. Return to heat and bring to a gentle boil. Add in extra water to reach the desired consistency, and check the flavour for salt and spice. Let it boil for 4-5 mins.
6. Garnish with your desired toppings, and serve! 

The most important step: Treat your mum and dad to a bowl of home-cooked soup. If they approve, congratulations – your journey to adulthood is now complete!