THAI FISH AND PUMPKIN SOUP

Look for pumpkin with a rich, dense orange flesh, and team it with a spicy/sour Thai fish curry light on coconut milk

INGREDIENTS

• 1 tablespoon sunflower oil
• 3 tablespoons Thai red curry paste
• 200ml light coconut milk
• 3 cups (750ml) salt-reduced chicken or fish stock
• 4 Asian (red) eschalots, thinly sliced
• 1 long red chilli, thinly sliced
• 2 kaffir lime leaves, finely shredded (optional)
• 250g pumpkin, peeled, cut into 2cm pieces
• 1 green capsicum, cut into strips
• 2 tablespoons tamarind puree
• 2 tablespoons fish sauce
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 600g skinless chunky fish fillets (such as blue eye, ling or snapper), cut into 3cm pieces
• 100g baby spinach leaves

• METHOD

  • 1
    Heat oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add curry paste and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes or until fragrant.
  • 2
    Add the coconut milk, stock, eschalot, chilli and kaffir lime leaves, if using, and stir to combine. Add pumpkin, capsicum, tamarind, fish sauce, sugar and a pinch of salt and cook for 20 minutes or until the pumpkin is tender.
  • 3
    Add fish and simmer for 5 minutes or until the fish is opaque.
  • 4
    Place half the spinach in 4 warm bowls and top with the fish and veg. Scatter with remaining spinach, then ladle the sauce over the top and serve.
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  • Note
  • Asian eschalots, fresh kaffir lime leaves and tamarind puree are all available from Asian food shops.