BEST PUMPKIN SOUP!! by Cheslea Winter......Oh and we have butternuts too!!
Ingredients
2kg crown or butternut pumpkin
2 whole bulbs garlic, unpeeled
3 large shallots, quartered (or use 1 large onion)
2 sticks celery, roughly chopped
3 sticks lemongrass (or ¼ cup lemongrass paste)
¼ cup roughly chopped ginger
2 whole large red chillies (or 1 tsp chilli flakes)
2 tbsp peanut or rice bran oil
1 ½ tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp ground cumin
5-6 cups vegetable or chicken stock
400ml can coconut cream (not light)
1 x bunch coriander, leaves and stalks chopped separately
3 tbsp fish sauce
1 tbsp lime juice
½ tsp fine black pepper
Method
Preheat the oven to 180c regular bake.
Scrape the seeds out of the pumpkin and discard. Chop the unpeeled pumpkin into rough 7cm chunks. Add to a large roasting tray with the shallots (or onion), celery, the garlic bulbs, lemongrass, ginger, chillies (remove the seeds from one or both chillies if you don’t like any spiciness – but I like to leave them in) oil, brown sugar and cumin. Season generously with salt and pepper, then toss to coat everything evenly.
Bake in the oven for 45 minutes, stirring about half way through. Increase the temperature to 200c fan bake and bake another 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and wait until cool enough to handle.
Peel/slice the skins off the pumpkin. Squeeze the garlic from their skins. Discard all the skins and add the garlic and pumpkin flesh to a soup pot (your largest saucepan). Add all the rest of the roasted vegetables as they are. Add the stock, coconut cream and the chopped coriander stalks. Cover, place over a medium heat and bring to a simmer for 15 minutes.
Remove the lemongrass stick (if using).
Using a stick blender, carefully puree the soup until it’s very smooth – or, cool it down first and put into blender or food processor in batches, watching out for splatters.
Add the lime juice, fish sauce and black pepper and season to taste with salt if needed.
Stir through the coriander leaves just before serving.
If you think it needs more fish sauce, lime juice or chilli to taste, feel free to add these in.
Serve a little extra chilli if you like, or an extra swirl of coconut cream (or yoghurt) and extra fresh coriander.
Poll: Would you commute by public transport if it was free?
Using your car is convenient, except for finding parking.
Cycling lets you leave anytime, but you might arrive soaked.
So, neighbours, if public transport had the perk of being free, would it be your main way to commute?
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70.1% Yes
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26% No
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3.8% Other - I'll share below
Six tips for improving security around your home
1) Improve outdoor lighting
Ensure that streets, driveways, and front yards are well-lit. Motion-sensor lights around homes deter trespassers by reducing hiding spots and illuminating their movements.
2) Trim your trees
Overgrown shrubs and trees provide cover for intruders. Keeping them well-trimmed around windows and doors improves visibility and reduces potential hiding spots.
3) Secure Entry Points
Ensure doors, windows, and gates are always closed when you are away from the house. Upgrade to more secure locks, deadbolts, or even smart locks for added protection.
4) Add a security camera
Place security cameras in the main entry points to your home. Doorbell cameras are also relatively cheap and a great way to keep track of who is visiting your home when you aren't there.
5) Start a Neighborhood Watch Program
You could reach out to members on Neighbourly to form a group of neighbors who can regularly keep an eye out for suspicious activity and report it. You could also check with Neighbourhood Support to see what is existing in your area.
6) Introduce yourself to your neighbours
The closer you are to your neighbors, the more likely they’ll notice when something unusual or suspicious is happening around your property
Feel free to share anything that you do around your area to deter crime.
What's your favourite recipe for gooseberry?
Love gooseberries? Share your favourite way to enjoy them. We're looking for our readers' favourite family recipes for this delicious crop. Send yours to mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz, and if we use it in the magazine, you will receive a free copy of our December 2024 issue.
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