Kiribati pumpkin coconut soup

Kiribati pumpkin coconut soup is a tasty, easy-to-make meal that may be served warm or chilled. In Kiribati's islands, the ingredients are easy to get by. The value of coconut to the people of that region cannot be overstated. A calabash pumpkin is the most common, but any pumpkin or sweet potato would suffice. Sweet and savoury flavours coexist. This straightforward recipe works well as an appetizer or as a light supper on its own. Kiribati's delicacies will delight you in either case.

Ingredients:

2 lbs pumpkin or sweet potato, 2 teaspoons fresh ginger or ginger paste, 1 can coconut milk light, salt and pepper to taste
coconut oil, water cups, onion chives to garnish

Instruction:

1. Peel, de-seed and cut the pumpkin into bite-size pieces
2. Heat the coconut oil in a large pot, then add the ginger and the pumpkin
3. Cook until slightly soft but before it turns brown
4. Add in the water, bring to a boil and reduce to simmer
5. Cook approx 20 minutes or until the pumpkin is nice and tender
6. Mash the pumpkin with a potato masher or use an immersion blender until the pumpkin is creamy.
7. Add in the coconut milk and add salt and pepper to taste. Warm on the stovetop if serving hot.
8. This soup is delicious served either hot or cold
9. Garnish with some fresh ground pepper and onion chives. Enjoy