I created a pumpkin soup recipe inspired by the hot pumpkin soup in The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword. The soup is made at a tavern called the Lumpy Pumpkin by a man who is humorously named Pumm. Although the tavern is called the Lumpy Pumpkin, the soup appears to be both smooth and creamy.

After looking around for livestock or other hints that Skloftians may consume meat, I found none and concluded that the residents of Skyloft are vegan - and my soup should be too (I don’t subscribe to the fan theory that Skyloftians are eating their beloved Loftwings, you sickos). Vegan soups are delicious so this isn't a problem. I substitute dairy with both unrefined coconut oil and full fat coconut milk. Make sure you use unrefined coconut oil; it has more coconut flavor which is important to the recipe.

I wanted to duplicate the flavors of Japanese curry blocks, so I chose a Japanese curry powder called S&B and added a touch of garam masala. S&B is sweeter than a Madras curry powder. The sweet spiciness goes well with the pumpkin and coconut in this soup.

I recommend you don’t skip the straining step in this recipe. Straining is what changes boy soups into man soups - the texture completely changes. Strained pumpkin soup is so silky and smooth. It seems to keep better too; unstrained pumpkin soup is always a little too thick the next day.

Ingredients

• 1 kabocha squash (3-4 pounds)
• 1 yellow onion, thinly sliced
• 4 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
• 1 tablespoon S&B curry powder
• 1 teaspoon garam masala, plus more as a seasoning finish
• Pinch of ground cayenne
• ¼ cup honey
• 1 quart vegetable stock
• ½ cup coconut milk, plus more for drizzling (most canned coconut milks separate, make sure to whisk the fats and solids together before using)
• 2 tablespoons unrefined coconut oil
• Olive oil
• Kosher salt & black pepper

Instructions

Step 1

With the rack adjusted to the middle position, preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Cut the kabocha in half with a sharp knife and scrape the seeds out. Rub the surface of the pumpkin with oil, and season with salt and pepper. Place the pumpkin halves cut-side down onto a baking sheet covered in tinfoil. Roast for an hour.  Allow the pumpkins to cool for 20 minutes after removing from the oven. The pumpkins should be fork tender.

Step 2

Heat 2 tablespoons of unrefined coconut oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the sliced onions and cook until soft and lightly brown - add the smashed garlic and continue to cook for about 5 minutes. Stir in the curry powder, garam masala, cayenne, and honey - cook for several minutes and add all of the vegetable stock. Bring the contents of the pot to a simmer. Using a spoon, scrape the cooled pumpkin out of its skin and add directly to the pot. Simmer for 20 minutes.

Step 3

Purée soup with an immersion blender or in a normal blender (if using a blender, blend in batches if necessary). Strain soup through a mesh strainer to catch any unblended fibers - use a spoon or whisk to speed up the straining. Add soup back to Dutch oven and stir in coconut milk. Ladle into bowls and serve with finely chopped Thai basil, a drizzle of coconut milk, and a sprinkle of garam masala.