Thai Pumpkin & Kumara Soup (slow cooker)

Ingredients:
non-stick spray oil
1 onion, chopped
2 t oil
1-2 t red curry paste
2 c vegetable or chicken stock
250 - 300 g pumpkin, peeled and cut into 6 - 8 pieces
250 - 300 g kumara, peeled and cut into 6 - 8 pieces
400 g coconut cream or coconut flavoured evaporated milk
salt to taste
brown sugar to taste
spring onions, sliced garnish

Method:

1. Coat slow cooker with non-stick spray oil (if you remember, I often don't bother).
2. Cook onion in 2 t oil in frypan until transparent.
3. Add curry paste and about 1/2 c stock to the onion. Stir well to combine curry paste evenly.
4. Transfer to slow cooker.
5. Add remaining stock, pumpkin, kumara and sugar.
6. Cook on HIGH for 3 - 5 hours or LOW 6 - 8 hours. 
7. Add coconut cream or evaporated milk and salt. 
8. Puree until smooth.

Slow Cooker Pork Soup

• 500 g boneless country style pork ribs, in 1-inch pieces
• 1 peeled, potato, diced into small cubes
• 2 chopped ribs celery
• 4 sliced carrots
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 chopped cabbage
• 1 chopped onion
• 800 g can crushed tomatoes in juice
• 4 chicken stock cubes
• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 4 cups water
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

How to make it:

Add all the ingredients to your crockpot, then cover it and cook it on high for four to five hours or low for eight to nine hours. The soup is ready when all the vegetables are tender and the pork is cooked through.

This is a good basic recipe. The first time I tried making it we used pork ribs with bones and a few slices of bacon too. Also threw in left over vegetables so didn't have room for the cabbage.

Thai Pumpkin Soup

Ingredients:

2 T olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1 T brown sugar
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 medium pumpkin (~ 1.2 kg), peeled and diced
2 c water
400 ml coconut milk
1 – 2 fresh or dried chillies, finely chopped
1 T lemongrass, minced or ½ t finely grated lemon rind
1 T fish sauce
salt
pepper
¼ c fresh coriander or parsley, chopped

Method:

1. Heat oil in a big pot and gently cook onion, sugar and garlic until softened (8 – 10 minutes).
2. Add all other ingredients except fresh coriander/parsley and simmer until tender, about 20 minutes.
3. Mash roughly.
4. Adjust seasonings to taste.Garnish with fresh coriander or parsley.

Serves 4
Freezes well

The most time consuming part of this recipe is cutting up the pumpkin. You can short circuit this by buying chopped pieces of pumpkin. Aternatively, microwaving a whole pumpkin for 10 minutes makes cutting easier.