Roasted Pumpkin and Spicy Harissa Soup

Oven Roasted Pumpkin with a kick of spicy Harissa, sprinkled with lightly toasted Pumpkin and melon seeds, laced with fresh cream and drizzled with Chilli Oil and garnished with sautéed crispy Cilantro.

Preparation Time: 10 minutes.

Cooking Time: 30 minutes

Serves: 4.

Ingredients and Quantity:

Extra Virgin Olive oil – 15 ml.

Red pumpkin- 1.5 kg

Yellow onion, sliced-01 no.

Garlic cloves, pressed or minced-08 nos.

Harrisa paste -01 tbsp.

Nutmeg, grated-1/4^th tsp.

Cumin powder- 1/4^th tsp

Ground dried oregano- 1/4^th tsp

Vegetable stock- 05 cups

Salt- to taste

For the garnish-

Green Pumpkin seeds (Pepitas), lightly toasted-10 gm.

Melon seeds lightly toasted – 10 gm.

Cilantro, sautéed – 02 tsp

Fresh cream- 04 tsp.

Method:

Preheat the oven to 400◦F and line a baking sheet. Peel, scoop the pumpkin seeds and cube the pumpkin. Keep the pumpkin seeds aside and it may be used for some other recipe.

Brush olive oil over the flesh of the pumpkin cubes, sliced yellow onion and garlic cloves. Place it in the baking sheet for 20 minutes. Set it aside to cool for a few minutes.

With a blender, blend the pumpkin flesh and set aside.

In a non-stick pan add sliced yellow onion, garlic cloves, Harissa paste, sauté for few minutes, add broiled, nutmeg, cumin powder, ground dried oregano and freshly ground black pepper. Add the pumpkin puree and pour in the vegetable stock. Add salt. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for about 10 minutes, to give the flavors time to fuse in.

Taste and adjust seasonings if required. Ladle soup into individual soup bowls. Sprinkle pepitas and melon seeds over the soup, lace it with broiled fresh cream, garnish with crispy cilantro and serve very hot.