Fasting-Friendly Pumpkin Soup
Silky farali vrat pumpkin soup with red pumpkin (kaddu), tomato, cumin temper in ghee, and almond creaminess. Sendha namak for Navratri; no onion or garlic.
Equipment
- Pressure cooker or heavy covered pot
- Blender or immersion blender
- Small pan for tempering
Ingredients
For the soup base
- 3 cups peeled red pumpkin cubes kaddu / bhopla, about 350 to 400 g
- 2 medium tomatoes chopped, about 1 1/2 cups
- 1 inch fresh ginger chopped
- 1 green chili optional; skip if your vrat rules exclude it
- 2 cups water plus more as needed
- 3/4-1 teaspoon rock salt sendha namak, or to taste; use regular salt on non-fasting days
For the almond creaminess
- 10-12 almonds soaked in hot water 15 minutes or overnight, peeled
For the tempering
- 1 tablespoon ghee or peanut oil
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly crushed black pepper or to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon roasted cumin powder optional
To finish
- 1-2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
- lemon wedges optional
- 2-3 tablespoons coconut milk optional swirl for serving
Instructions
Cook the pumpkin and tomato
- Add pumpkin, tomatoes, ginger, green chili if using, sendha namak, and 2 cups water to a pressure cooker. Cook for 1 to 2 whistles, until the pumpkin mashes easily with a spoon. Stovetop: cover and simmer 12 to 15 minutes until soft.
- Let the steam settle. Scoop the soft vegetables into a blender, reserving the cooking liquid in the cooker.
Blend until smooth
- Drain and peel the soaked almonds. Blend them with the cooked pumpkin and tomato mixture until completely smooth. Add reserved cooking water a little at a time until the puree is silky and pourable. You may not need all of it.
- Return the blended soup to the pot. Taste for salt. Keep on low heat while you make the tempering. If it looks thick like mash, loosen with more reserved water or plain hot water.
Temper and finish
- Heat ghee in a small pan. Add cumin seeds. When they crackle and smell toasty, pour the tempering into the soup. Stir in black pepper and roasted cumin powder if using.
- Simmer gently 3 to 5 minutes so the flavors settle. Do not boil hard. Turn off the heat. Finish with cilantro and an optional coconut milk swirl.
- Serve hot with lemon on the side.
Notes
Fasting batches use sendha namak, ghee or peanut oil, and skip onion and garlic. Confirm chili rules with your family tradition. This recipe does not need hing.
Almonds give a soft body that still tastes like pumpkin. For a richer dairy-free finish, stir coconut milk in at the end; start with 2 tablespoons.
Tomato-free path: skip tomato and add an extra 1/2 cup pumpkin plus a squeeze of lemon after blending.
Make-ahead: cook and blend up to 2 days ahead. Reheat gently and add the cumin tempering fresh so the aroma stays bright.
Store in an airtight container in the fridge up to 3 days. Reheat on low with a splash of water. Freezing can make the texture slightly grainy.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!