CURRIED PUMPKIN SOUP

Steps:

• Cook onions in butter in a wide 6-quart heavy pot over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, 3 to 5 minutes.
• Add garlic and ginger and cook, stirring, 1 minute.
• Add cumin, coriander, and cardamom and cook, stirring, 1 minute.
• Stir in salt, red pepper flakes, pumpkin, water, broth, and coconut milk and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, 30 minutes.
• Purée soup in batches in a blender until smooth (use caution when blending hot liquids), transferring to a large bowl, and return soup to pot.
• Keep soup warm over low heat.
• Heat oil in a small heavy skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then cook mustard seeds until they begin to pop, about 15 seconds.
• Add curry leaves and cook 5 seconds, then pour mixture into pumpkin soup.
• Stir until combined well and season soup with salt.
• Soup can be thinned with additional water.
• Note: Can be made up to one day in advance. I use the food processor for the chopping of onions, garlic & the immersible blending to puree the soup.