Ok, so it’s made with butternut squash not pumpkin, but it didn’t have nearly the same ring to it as “pumpkin dumplin’” does!

You get all the usual creature comforts of bowl and spoon food, but with a multi level warmth. Warmth from the spice, warmth from eating it and warmth in its reception by others. It has a very specific place in my friendship group, and is just known as “that soup” followed by smiling faces and baited breath.

Ingredients

• Whole Butternut Squash
• 1 can Coconut Milk
• 1l Chicken or Vegetable stock
• 1 tsp Chilli Flakes
• 1 tsp Ginger Paste
• 1 tsp Tomato Purée
• 1 tsp Garlic Granules
• 2 tsps Caribbean curry powder
• 2 tsps Chicken Powder (or crumbled up stock cube)
• 1 tsp All Purpose Seasoning
• 1 cup soffritto (diced carrots, onion, celery)
• Few sprigs of Thyme
• Corn – 2 whole cobs cut into rounds or 1 tin of sweetcorn.
• 100g Plain Flour
• 50g Shredded Suet
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 5 tbsps cold water

Peel, de-seed and chop your butternut squash into chunks.

In a large pot fry soffrito until softened, add spices, tomato purée and mix together.

Add squash, coconut milk, thyme and stock, simmer until the squash is cooked through, about 15-20 mins.

Once cooked through remove half of the squash chunks and set aside. Remove and discard the thyme stalks.

Blend the remaining soup until smooth. Add corn, reserved squash and return to the heat, on a gentle simmer.

Combine flour, suet and salt in a bowl and add 5 tbsps cold water. Combine to form a soft dough. Add a little more water if it appears to dry.

Divide into 16 and roll into small balls. They will expand when cooking so don’t worry if they seem tiny at this point.

Pop your dumplings into the soup, put a lid on and leave for 15 minutes.

Once your dumplings have risen to the top and turn into fluffy clouds of happiness your soup is ready!

Season with salt and pepper to taste and enjoy!