Roasted Red Kuri Pumpkin & Coconut Soup

Heat the oven to 400°F.Use a heavy, sharp knife or cleaver to cut the squash into quarters.Place these quarters in a roasting pan and bake for 1 hour.( Alternate method: Place each squash directly in the oven, whole.Bake for 20 minutes or until soft enough to cut in half with little effort.Cut in quarters, place in a baking dish, and roast for 40 more minutes or until the skin can be easily peeled away from the flesh.)

Put the squash aside for 15 minutes or until it is cool enough to be easily handled.When cool, peel the skin away from the squash flesh.You should have about A bowl with a capacity of 3/4 liter containing packed of roasted squash.

In a 4 liter or larger pot or Dutch oven, heat the oil or butter over medium heat.When the oil is hot, add the garlic, shallots, and ginger, and fry in the oil for about a minute.Add the tomato paste and fry for another minute.Turn the heat down and cook for about 5 minutes, or until the shallots are beginning to really soften.Add the curry powder and crumble in the red chili.Fry for another minute, then add the squash.Turn the heat back up to medium and fry the squash with the aromatics for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Stir in the coconut milk and chicken broth and bring to a light simmer.Lower the heat and cover the pot.Simmer for 30 minutes.

Turn off the heat and puree the soup with a hand blender, or pour the soup in batches into a blender and carefully puree it there, holding the top down with a towel.Add the salt in 0.5-teaspoon increments, tasting as you go, and stir in the juice of the lime.Serve immediately, with the garnishes.

For the toppings: Heat a small skillet over medium heat and add the coconut.Cook for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until the coconut is lightly toasted and brown.Immediately pour the coconut out onto a plate.

Wipe the skillet out and return to medium heat.Add the oil.When the oil is quite hot, add the thinly sliced shallots.Fry in the oil over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes, or until their edges just begin to turn brown.Turn off the heat and immediately lift the shallots out of the oil with a slotted spoon.Put on a plate to cool.

Both the coconut and fried shallots can be kept for up to a few days in an airtight sealed container.