Okinawans make this soup from kabocha, or Japanese pumpkin—a good substitute is acorn or butternut squash. The result is a silky, slightly sweet soup that takes about 20 minutes to whip up if you have an immersion blender or food processor. You can also make this in a flash with canned pumpkin puree, which is usually a blend of pump- kin and orange squash.
1⁄2 pound acorn or butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into large chunks
1⁄4 cup chopped leeks (or onion)
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 3⁄4 cups unsweetened soy milk
1 teaspoon cumin seed
1 teaspoon dried turmeric
1 teaspoon salt, plus more if needed
Place a steamer tray into a pot with about 2 inches of water.
Bring water to a boil and steam squash until soft, about 15 minutes.
In a soup pot, stir-fry leeks in vegetable oil until soft but not browned, about 3-4 minutes.
Add soy milk, steamed squash, and spices and simmer for 15 minutes.
Blend all together with an immersion blender or in a food processor (in batches, if necessary) until smooth.
Add salt to taste.
The Blue Zones Kitchen fuses scientific reporting, National Geographic photography and 100 recipes that may help you live to 100. The Blue Zones’ food tradition is going the way of the dodo bird, thanks to the encroachment of the American Food Culture.
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