Vegetarian Wednesdays: Comfort Pumpkin Carrot Soup

Awhile back, I wrote about how I need to be more thoughtful about what I eat. That means not just eating healthier for me, but for the earth we live on - and for all sentient beings involved in the food production process (human or animal).

I still don't have the answers, but I know cutting back on meat and eating more veggies and more home-cooked food is good for my body, good for my wallet, and helps sustain local farmers (did you know we import about 155,000 tonnes of beef into Malaysia a year? And that figure is only for beef!).

I am also trying to be more structured in my blogging and so I am limiting what I blog about to certain themes for certain days of the week. I started with Cat Diaries on Mondays, and from now on, every Wednesday I will post a vegetarian recipe that I've tried. This is my attempt to not just talk about exploring ways to eat better, but to put it into practice as well.

So here you go, today's Vegetarian Wednesday recipe:

Comfort Pumpkin Carrot Soup

This is the kind of soup you want to drink on a rainy day, whether it's raining outside or raining in your soul. Maybe it's the nourishing, wholesome taste. Maybe it's the bright splash of sunny colour that audaciously screams "I dare you to stay miserable looking at me!" Who knows? All I know is this soup is comforting and delicious, and will probably make you go back for seconds.

Ingredients:

• Half a medium-sized pumpkin (When it comes to home-cooking, I love my estimates, so don't expect to find any specifics here!)
• 4-5 large carrots
• 3-4 shallots
• 5 pips of garlic
• 2 cubes of chicken stock dissolved in 1 cup of hot water OR
• 1 cup of chicken stock OR
• to be properly vegetarian, either of the above replaced with vegetable stock
• Additional water (to adjust to desired consistency)
• Splash of olive oil
• Optional: Sprinkle of pepper, allspice, paprika, curry powder, and / or several bay leaves to taste

Instructions:

1. Cut pumpkin into cubes and boil OR roast (You can roast the pumpkin for a fuller, smoky flavour before peeling the skin off) until soft and tender.
2. Boil carrots until soft.
3. While carrots and pumpkin cook, chop shallots and garlic finely. 
4. Place cooked carrots and pumpkin (with skin removed) into a blender or food processor (this will probably take several rounds) and blend until fine. Add a little water while blending to make the purée smoother if needed. 
5. Splash some olive oil into a huge pot, and lightly fry the minced shallots and garlic quickly. 
6. Place puréed pumpkin and carrot into pot, add stock, and add more water if needed. 
7. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly so that the bottom does not burn. When the soup starts to bubble and thicken, add more water to achieve your desired consistency.
8. Continue stirring for 10 minutes as the soup bubbles. 
9. Blend the soup one final time after cooking for a smoother, creamier texture.
10. Serve with toast bread and a dollop of coconut milk, if desired. 

Serves: 6-8 hungry people