Chunky Pumpkin Soup

I love soup, clear soup especially. Well, actually clear soup should be called broth. Anyway, I believer clear soup is healthier than creamy soups. And less work too :P

Western-style soup is mostly cream-based, pureed, and require a blender and stuff to blend all the ingredients together. In the end, there's virtually nothing to sink my teeth into. So, I prefer clear soup where the ingredients are still visible. I do not need a blender to blend the ingredients together. They may be soft and mushy, but most importantly, I could have something to bite.

So, I'm happy with this version of chuncky pumpkin soup. (Sorry, no photo. Well, this ain't a food blog. So, never mind.)

What to Use? (Serves 3-4)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 small (raw) pumpkin
1 medium onion, quartered
3 small potatoes, quartered
1 cup of canned sweet corn
1 cup of canned chickpeas
3 cloves of garlic, chopped finely
4-6 cups of chicken stock
Salt and pepper to taste

What to Do?
1. Peel pumpkin and remove all the seeds.
2. Chop the pumpkin into 1-inch chunks.
3. Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add garlic & onion. Stir constantly until garlic is fragrant and onion is clear.
4. Add sweet corn, chickpeas, potatoes and pumpkin, cook for 2-3 minutes.
5. Add chicken stock, cover and simmer (over low heat) for 20 minutes or until pumpkin and potatoes are soft.
6. Turn off heat, add salt & pepper.

Note: This chunky pumpkin soup can be served in a big bowl or in a pumpkin shell*.

*To use a pumpkin as a serving vessel:
1. Select a pumpkin.
2. Rinse and dry the outside of the pumpkin.
3. Cut an approximate 4- to 5-inch diameter hole in top of pumpkin. Scoop out seeds and membranes. Use a sharp knife to make zigzag cuts around its rim.
4. Place a vegetable steamer rack in a large pot and fill 1/3 of the pot with water. Place pumpkin shell upright on the rack.
5. Cover and steam over briskly boiling water until pumpkin meat softens, about 25 minutes.
6. Check water level, replenish if necessary.
7. Pour pumpkin soup into pumpkin. Serve hot.