Curried Pumpkin Soup

500g buttercup pumpkin
one medium onion, finely chopped
4 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon curry powder
2 cups chicken stock
3 tablespoons flour
600ml milk
salt and pepper
toasted pine nuts

Skin and dice the pumpkin. Melt half the butter in a large saucepan and gently saute the onion until tender. Add the curry powder and cook a further two or three minutes then stir in the chicken stock and add the pumpkin. Simmer until the pumpkin is tender. In another pot melt the remaining butter, stir in the flour and cook for a couple of minutes then whisk in the milk. Cook until the mixture thickens. Mash the pumpkin mixture or whirl it in a food processor then add it to the white sauce mixture. Blend together well, adjust the seasoning and reheat. Serve garnished with a few chopped toasted pine nuts or a spoonful of plain yoghurt and a sprinkling of chopped fresh coriander. Of course you can increase the amount of curry powder to suit your personal taste.

You might like to accompany this soup with some poppadoms.