Recipe: Spiced Butternut Squash Soup

Nothing can beat the feeling of comfort and warmth during the cold winter months as a good ol' soup.

With last week’s unexpected heavy snowfall in Tokyo and the temperatures continuing to drop below zero for the first time in nearly five decades, many of you Tokyoites are probably craving for hot meals more than ever. While nabe pots and oden are of course amazing options, so are soups too, especially when they’re full of veggies and spices for an extra boost of energy.  

One of my favorite winter recipes is the Spiced Butternut Squash Soup, which I cook with a few secret ingredients that give it extra flavor and umami (a Japanese term referring to the depth of flavor in a dish). You won’t be surprised to hear that one of the secret ingredients is Japanese soy sauce of course! Stay warm and enjoy!

Ingredients

• 1-liter vegetable stock
• 1 butternut squash, halved lengthways
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• Olive oil, to season
• 8 curry leaves
• 1 tablespoon Japanese soy sauce
• Salt & pepper, to season
• Roasted seeds, to garnish
• Chilli flakes, to garnish

Instructions

1. Preheat a fan oven to 200 degrees.
2. Place the butternut squash on a baking tray with the flesh side up.
3. Drizzle olive oil over the butternut squash halves. Then sprinkle cumin and paprika.
4. Place in the oven for about 50 minutes or until the flesh is fork tender.
5. Heat the vegetable stock in a medium-sized saucepan.
6. Scoop out the roasted seeds with a spoon and set aside for garnishing. Then, scoop out the flesh and toss into the stock.
7. Blitz with a hand blender or liquidizer until smooth.
8. Add the curry leaves, soy sauce and remaining cumin and paprika. Leave to simmer for about 10 to 20 minutes to let the flavors develop.
9. Season with salt and pepper. Check the taste and texture before serving. Add more spices, seasoning or stock depending on your preference.
10. Serve in a bowl and garnish with the roasted seeds or chili flakes.

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