Over the summer I had more of an opportunity to try some new recipes and be a little more inventive in my cooking. I love trying new flavors and making beautiful dishes. As a little girl I wasn't necessarily a picky eater, but I wasn't that bold in my food choices (note: I still dislike all things mashed potatoes, beans, and tomato). As I grew older, I traveled to different countries and discovered that I like a greater variety of foods than I previously thought. Luckily my husband is easy to please (except for his dislike of BBQ sauce...I know a major crime!) Cooking is something that calms me down after I get home from a busy day at school. And foodgawker.com has taken the place of pinterest in my heart. I can get lost looking at pictures of so many amazing dishes.
As fall approaches I am excited for all the colorful flavors that come along with the season; apple, pumpkin, caramel...I found this wonderful recipe for pumpkin-coconut chowder that made my heart skip a beat. It is delicious, unique, and relatively easy to make. I definitely recommend it to any one who loves seafood, pumpkin, or food with an Asian flare!
Pumpkin-Coconut Chowder with Shrimp
ingredients:
1 T coconut oil (or other cooking oil)
1 shallot, peeled and diced
1 T grated fresh ginger
1 cup chicken, vegetable, or seafood broth
1 cup shredded carrot (about 1 large)
1 cup 1/2-inch diced potato (any kind will do, including sweet potatoes)
1 Roma tomato, diced
1 14 or 15 ounce can of coconut milk (the real stuff, not light)
2 T lime juice
1/2 cup pumpkin puree (canned is fine)
1/2 tsp salt
6-8 ounces uncooked shrimp, thawed, tails removed and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
4 T chopped fresh cilantro
directions:
- Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat.
- Add shallots and ginger. Stir and cook for 3-4 minutes until the shallots are tender.
- Add the remaining ingredients (except for the shrimp and cilantro).
- Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes until potatoes are tender.
- Add the shrimp and cilantro during the last 5 minutes of cooking time. Cook until shrimp are pink and opaque.
Serve hot and garnish with more fresh cilantro, roasted pumpkin seeds (pepitas), pumpkin seed oil and/or Thai sweet chili sauce.
