Roasted Butternut & Yellow Split Peas Soup

Its getting cooler by the day,  we had our first snow last weekend. This icy cold weather is making me crave for steaming hot soups or very spicy food. I have cooked pumpkin curry many times and its one of my favorite curry to have with rice. Making soups with pumpkin  is a relatively new experience. I have tried this soup few times and has been a hit in our small nest.

I roasted butternut chunks with garlic and rosemary. Herbs and garlic slowly infuses aroma to otherwise bland butternut. Aroma infused Butternut along with split peas is a healthy combination. I also added roasted cumin and coriander powder to add a finishing note of spice to this golden bowl beauty.

Before and After roasting butternut chunks

Print recipe here

Serves 2-3

Ingredients

For roasting

2 tbsp canola oil

750g butternut roughly chopped

4-6 garlic cloves

2-3 sprigs of rosemary and thyme

To make the soup

50g yellow split peas

1 celery stalk diced

pinch of turmeric

1tbsp canola oil

1 onion diced

1 soup cube 

1/2 tsp coriander powder

1/2 tsp cumin powder

Method

In a baking tray add chopped butternut, herbs and garlic cloves. Add oil and toss butternut chunks till oil is nicely coated. Roast in oven at 200celcius for 20-25 mins till chunks are soft.

Seperately wash yellow split peas and add it to pressure cooker along with diced celery and pinch of turmeric. Add water to cover the split peas. Cook for 2-3 whistles, turn off heat and let it completely cool down. Let the pressure settle before opening the lid.

Add roasted butternut, garlic, 1/2 a soup bowl cold water into a blender and blend into smooth consistency.

Heat oil in a heavy bottom pan saute onion and soup cube for 2-3 minutes till onions are translucent. Add blended butternut puree, cooked split peas, coriander and cumin powder. Add add 1 bowl cold water stir well, cover the lid and cook till soup starts to boil. Add salt to taste.

Turn off heat, ladle soup into bowls, sprinkle roasted pumpkin seeds and serve steaming hot along with bread.

Notes :You can cook split peas in a heavy bottom sauce pan, may be for 30-40 minutes till they are soft. Soaking split peas ahead of time helps to cook faster.

You can also use canned lentils alternatively.

Sprinkle some chili flakes if you prefer it to be more spicy.

Links for other pumpkin recipes

1. Pumpkin chunks in garlic spiced coconut cream

2. Nigella's Pumpkin & chickpeas soup

3. Pumpkin Soup

4. Tomyam Pumpkin Soup

Rosemary plant in my Balcony

Thyme this gorgeous tiny leaves are filled with flavor