Spicy Pumpkin Soup

As most of the good things tend to end unexpectedly, mild and spring like weather in Istanbul ran away from the city all of a sudden and left a freezing cold and lots of snow in its place. Just a week before we were enjoying long strolls along the coastline and in the twinkle of an eye we found ourselves hardly going out of homes even for a grocery shopping in the neighbourhood. Such desperate times require desperate measures, such as buying new DVD’s, taking your blanket out of the closet, refilling your corn kernel reserves to make fresh popcorn, and for sure having a bowl of hot soup that will warm you from inside.

I like eating almost all kind of soup as a starter, however when I feel really cold I eat the first bowl as a starter whereas the second bowl makes my main dish. A hot and tasty soup embraces various feelings like tenderness of your mom when you are sick or the nearness of a companion in a cold winter day making you feel warm.

All these in my mind, I wanted to make a soup to enjoy while watching the snow covering all over the place as if everything on the street like cars, trees, and apartments were dusted with confectioner’s sugar. No one on earth could take me out of my house for shopping so I need to make the soup of the day with the ingredients in hand. Considering the situation, I was ready to go experimental and to try something like a red Mexican bean soup with fresh herbs and chili powder. Then I realized the bowl on the refrigerator’s rack full of pumpkin slices waiting for my better half to make a traditional pumpkin dessert out of them which feature another post in the coming weeks by the way.

Pumpkin is also one of these “all purpose” stuff from which you can make savory foods, desserts, tart fillings, garnishes and so on. Even the seed of this great colored Halloween icon, also known as pepita, is a popular snack. Interesting thing is that unlike most of the other snacks, pumpkin seeds are full of fatty acids that are beneficial to maintain healthy blood vessels and nerves. So, do not feel guilty if you cannot stop yourself cracking a handful of these seeds while watching your favorite TV show.

This heart-warming and healthy soup I prepared became one of my mellow recipes for this winter. Its enriched flavor with a touch of roasted mustard and coriander seeds along with grated nutmeg will make your day in a snowy winter afternoon. Taking the widespread winter laziness into account, using a large bowl to decrease the number of refill trips to the kitchen is highly recommended. Enjoy!