Curry Butternut Squash & Crab Soup

1 tbsp olive oil

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1 “ piece of ginger, minced 

½ large white onion, diced

2 tbsp curry paste

1 tsp garlic chili sauce

1 medium butternut squash

3 cups vegetable broth

8 oz sliced shiitake or baby bella mushrooms 

2 tbsp fish sauce

8 oz (1 cup) lump crab meat 

1 cup coconut milk

1 tbsp soy sauce

Heat olive oil in a medium soup pot. Add garlic and ginger and sauté for 1 minute, until fragrant. Add diced onion and let cook for 5-7 minutes, until the onion is soft and starting to caramelize. While this is cooking, peel the squash, cut in half lengthwise and use a spoon to remove seeds. Then cut into cubes and set aside. When the onion is finished cooking, stir in curry paste and chili sauce. Then add the squash and vegetable broth, cover and let simmer for 30 mins (while this cooking, work on the crispy eggplant “fries!”).  Use an immersion blender, or use a large slotted spoon and a blender, and blend squash until smooth. Add mushrooms and fish sauce, cover, and let simmer for 15 mins. While this cooks, add crab meat to a bowl or colander and pick through, removing any bits of shell.  Then add crab, coconut milk, and soy sauce to the pot. Stir to fully combine and let warm for about 10 mins.

Serve with crispy eggplant on the side.