Silky-Coconut Pumpkin Soup (Keg Bouad Mak Fak Kham) Epicurious | October 2000

by Jeffrey Alford and Naomi Duguid
Hot Sour Salty Sweet


Serve this lush, smooth soup as part of an Asian or Western meal. Large wedges of pumpkin with a pale gray-green skin are sold in Southeast Asian groceries and in Caribbean produce markets. Pick out the pumpkin with the reddest flesh. You can also use an orange "pie pumpkin."

Yield: Serves 4 to 6 as part of a rice meal


3 to 4 shallots, unpeeled
1 1/2 pounds pumpkin (untrimmed), or butternut squash or 1 1/4 pounds peeled pumpkin (I used one 15 ounce can of pumpkin puree)
2 cups canned or fresh coconut milk
2 cups mild pork or chicken broth (I used vegetable broth)
1 cup loosely packed coriander leaves
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons Thai fish sauce, or to taste (I substituted soy sauce to taste)
Generous grindings of black pepper
1/4 cup minced scallion greens (optional)
Juice of one lime


In a heavy skillet, or on a charcoal or gas grill, dry-roast or grill the shallots, turning occasionally until softened and blackened. Peel, cut the shallots lengthwise in half, and set aside. Instead of this step, I minced the shallots and sauteed them in olive oil.

Peel the pumpkin and clean off any seeds. Cut into small 1/2-inch cubes. You should have 4 1/2 to 5 cups cubed pumpkin. Again, I took the easy way out and used canned pumpkin puree.

Place the coconut milk, broth, pumpkin cubes (puree), shallots, and coriander leaves in a large pot and bring to a boil. Add the salt and simmer over medium heat until the pumpkin is tender, about 10 minutes. Stir in the fish sauce and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes. Taste for salt and add a little more fish sauce if you wish. (The soup can be served immediately, but has even more flavor if left to stand for up to an hour. Reheat just before serving.) I also took the advice of a reviewer and added the juice of one lime which added a great extra flavor to the soup.

Serve from a large soup bowl or in individual bowls. Grind black pepper over generously, and, if you wish, garnish with a sprinkling of minced scallion greens. Leftovers freeze very well.