Pumpkin and Rice Laksa is a modern Fusion recipe for a classic Singaporean-inspired soup of pumpkin and rice in a chicken stock and coconut milk base flavoured with chillies and spices that makes an excellent Halloween starter if served in a bowl made out of a hollowed pumpkin. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic Fusion version of: Pumpkin and Rice Laksa.
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If you are serving this for Halloween, then take a medium-sized pumpkin, cut a lid in the top then scoop out the flesh and use the remaining skin as a vessel in which to serve the soup.
Ingredients:
For the Laksa Paste:
small handful of Kaffir lime leaves
3 chillies, finely chopped (de-seed for a milder effect)
2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely sliced
2 thumb-sized pieces of ginger, peeled
3 sticks of lemongrass (white parts only)
1 generous handful of fresh coriander (pick off the leaves and chop the sticks)
1 tsp (heaped), Chinese five-spice powder
1 tsp ground cumin seeds
For the Soup:
600g pumpkin flesh (or squash flesh) weighed after peeling and de-seeding, cut into 5cm pieces
olive oil
1 white onion, finely sliced
600ml chicken stock (or vegetable stock)
200g basmati rice, washed and drained
800ml coconut milk
sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper
juice of 2 limes
fresh red chilli, thinly sliced (to garnish)
fresh coconut, grated (to garnish)
Method:
Begin with the laksa paste. Combine the lime leaves, chillies, garlic, ginger, lemongrass, coriander stalks, five-spice powder and cumin in a blender or food processor. Blitz the mixture to a smooth paste (remove any stringy bits that have not brooked down).
Heat a little olive oil in a wok, spoon in the laksa paste, add the onion and cook gently for about 10 minutes, or until aromatic. Add the pumpkin and stock and stir to combine. Bring the mixture to a boil then reduce to a simmer, add a lid and cook for about 15 minute, or until the pumpkin is soft.
Add the washed rice and stir to combine then return to a simmer, cover again and continue cooking for about 12 minutes, or until the rice is done. Remove the lid at this point and stir in the coconut milk. Adjust the seasonings to taste the and the lime juice (add this to your own taste). Allow to heat through then turn the soup into your prepared, hollowed, pumpkin (or add to a large soup tureen).
Garnish with the sliced red chilli and grated coconut then serve.
