Title: Pumpkin & coconut cream soup
 Categories: Soups, Thai
      Yield: 4 Servings
 
    400 g  Pumpkin; peeled
           -- cut into 2 cm cubes
      1 tb Lemon or lime juice
    100 g  Green (uncooked) prawns
           -OR- dried shrimp
      2 md Onions
    1/4 ts Shrimp paste
      2    Fresh chilies; seeded  OR...
      2 ts -Roasted chili paste (opt.)
      1 tb Finely chopped lemon grass
    300 ml Water
    750 ml Coconut milk
           --(reserve thick cream)
      1 tb Fish sauce
      1 ts Sugar
    1/2 ts Pepper
     80 g  Fresh basil leaves
           --(reserve some for garnish)
 
  Sprinkle lemon or lime juice over pumpkin and leave to stand for 20
  minutes.  Shell and devein fresh prawns or wash dried shrimp.
  
  In a food processor, blend together prawns, onions, shrimp paste,
  chillies, lemon grass and a little water until they form a smooth
  paste.
  
  Mix together water and thin coconut milk in a large saucepan. Add the
  paste, fish sauce, sugar and pepper, whisking to combine thoroughly.
  Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat and add pumpkin. Simmer
  over low heat until pumpkin is tender, about 20 minutes. Adjust
  seasoning if necessary.
  
  Just before serving, stir in basil leaves and thick coconut cream.
  Garnish with a few basil leaves.