Butternut Squash Soup with Cilantro Pesto

My friend Ambika recently shared her butternut squash soup recipe with me and inspired me to try homemade soups. Given how cold the weather is now, I was happy to try it. With a couple tweaks of my own, here's the recipe for a nutritious, homemade soup..

What you'll need..
For Soup:

• 3 Cups butternut squash, chopped into chunks
• 1 Small onion, finely chopped
• 1 Tsp ginger, finely chopped
• 1 Tsp garlic, finely chopped
• 1 Tbsp oil or butter
• 6-8 Whole peppercorns
• Salt to taste

For Cilantro Pesto:

• 1/2 Cup cilantro leaves
• 2-3 Garlic pods
• 1 Tsp sesame seeds
• 1 Tsp lemon juice
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• Salt to taste

How to..

• Grind all the ingredients for the pesto (except salt) into a thick paste. Add salt, mix well and set aside.
• Heat oil in a non stick pot. 
• Add the chopped onion and fry on medium heat for 3-4 minutes till the onion turns pink.
• Add the peppercorns, ginger and garlic and continue to cook for another 5 minutes. 
• Add the butternut squash chunks and saute with the onions for a few minutes.
• Add salt and 2 cups of water. Mix well then cover with a lid and cook till the squash gets soft and tender. Then remove from heat and set aside for a few minutes.
• Add this to a blender and puree into a smooth mixture. The soup is meant to be thick but you can thin it down with a little water if you like. Garnish with a dollop of cilantro pesto (or cream, pine nuts, pecans, anything you like) and serve hot.

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