Moroccan pumpkin soup

Ingredients (serves 6)

• 1/4 cup (60ml) olive oil
• 1 leek, white part only, thinly sliced
• 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 red birdseye chilli, finely chopped
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 3cm piece ginger, peeled, thinly sliced
• 1 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
• 2 carrots, peeled, coarsely chopped
• 1.5kg butternut or Queensland blue pumpkin, peeled, seeded (see note), cut into 3cm pieces
• 1/3 cup (70g) yellow split peas
• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• Coriander sprigs and soup sprinkles, to serve

 

Method

1. Heat oil in a large saucepan over low-medium heat and cook leek, garlic and 2 tsp salt, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes or until soft. Add chilli, cinnamon, ginger and cumin and stir for 1 minute or until fragrant. Add carrots, pumpkin and split peas. Stir to coat in onion mixture.
2. Add 1.5 litres water to saucepan and bring to the boil, then simmer for 50 minutes or until split peas are soft.
3. Remove and discard cinnamon stick from soup. Add lemon juice then process or blend soup, in small batches, in a food processor or blender until smooth. Return soup to pan and reheat over medium heat. Serve topped with coriander sprigs and soup sprinkles.

 

Notes

Reserve 1/2 cup pumpkin seeds for soup sprinkles.

Chicken korma with chickpeas

With a few pantry staples and a little creativity, we've stirred up these curry pots to fill your kitchen with the aroma of Indian cuisine. 

Preparation Time

20 minutes

Cooking Time

30 minutes

Ingredients (serves 6)

• 2 tbs canola oil
• 6 chicken breast fillets, cut into 3cm pieces
• 2 brown onions, halved, cut into wedges
• 3 tbs Patak’s Korma Paste
• 800g Butternut pumpkin, peeled, seeded, cut into 2cm pieces
• 400g can diced tomatoes
• 500ml (2 cups) chicken stock
• 400g can chickpeas, rinsed, drained
• 200g snow peas, trimmed
• Fresh coriander sprigs, to serve
• Tzatziki, to serve
• Roti bread, warmed, to serve

 

Method

1. Heat half the oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Cook half the chicken, turning occasionally, for 3-4 minutes or until browned. Use a slotted spoon to transfer to a plate. Repeat with remaining chicken, reheating the pan between batches.
2. Add the onion and remaining oil to the pan and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until the onion is soft. Add the chicken and curry paste and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes or until well combined. Add the pumpkin, tomato and stock and stir until well combined. Cover and bring to the boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer for 10 minutes or until the pumpkin is tender.
3. Add the chickpeas and snow peas and simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes or until the snow peas are bright green and tender crisp and the sauce thickens slightly. Spoon the curry among serving bowls. Top with coriander and tzatziki. Serve with roti.

Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread

 

INGREDIENTS

 

4 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

2 cups sugar

3/4 cup butter or margarine, softened

4 eggs

1/2 cup water

1 can (15 oz) pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons miniature semisweet chocolate chips

2 tablespoons chopped pecans

2 teaspoons sugar

 

 

DIRECTIONS

 

1 Heat oven to 350°F. Grease bottom only of two 8x4-inch loaf pans with shortening; lightly flour (or spray bottoms of pans with cooking spray; do not flour). 2 In medium bowl, stir flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg until mixed; set aside. 3 In large bowl, beat 2 cups sugar and the butter with electric mixer on medium speed 1 to 2 minutes or until creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in water and pumpkin on low speed. Add flour mixture; beat on low speed about 1 minute or until moistened. Stir in 1 cup of the chocolate chips. Spread evenly in pans. Sprinkle tops with remaining 2 tablespoons chocolate chips, the pecans and 2 teaspoons sugar. 4 Bake 1 hour 5 minutes to 1 hour 15 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 minutes; remove from pans to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 1 1/2 hours.

To ensure your loaf has a gently rounded top and no "lipping" at the edges, grease or spray only the bottom of the pans.