Ingredients: 6 servings

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 celery stick, chopped

1 medium size onion, chopped

1 garlic clove, finely chopped

1 red hot chili, finely chopped

1 tablespoon curry powder, mild or hot or a mixture of both

1.2 kg. Pumpkin, (900 g. after peeling and removing seeds)

1 red tomato, skin and seeds removed, chopped

Pinch of saffron

1½ cups chicken stock

1 cup coconut milk (see note below)

Salt and freshly ground white pepper

For decoration

2 tablespoons bought pumpkin seeds, without the skin

Celery leaves

1 round pumpkin to serve the soup (optional)

1. Heat the oil in a large pan, stir-fry onion and celery over medium heat till tender. 

2. Add garlic, chili, and curry powder and stir-fry for one minute more.

3. Meanwhile, cut the pumpkin in half, remove the seeds and fiber and cut halves into chunks, peel. 

4. Chop pumpkin and add with tomatoes, saffron, and chicken stock to the pan. 

5. Bring ingredients to the boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer 25 minutes or till pumpkin is soft. 

6. Place the soup in a blender and blend until smooth.

7. Pour into a pan, add the coconut milk and bring to the boil again before serving.

To serve: 

Serve hot in one big bowl garnished with pumpkin seeds and celery leaves, or in individual bowls, or in a round pumpkin emptied from the seeds.  (Soup may be prepared two days before serving).

N.B.: 

If using powdered coconut:  fill a cup ⅓ with coconut powder then fill with water to make 1 cup.