Ingredients
1/2 kent (jap) pumpkin, deseeded, peeled and cut into large chunks
2 large sweet potatoes (skin on), pricked with a knife
3 carrots, peeled, cut in large chunks
2 parsnips, peeled, cored and cut into large chunks
Extra virgin olive oil
Salt flakes
Freshly ground black pepper
3 medium brown onions, peeled, and sliced
6 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced
15cm piece ginger, peeled and diced
1 cinnamon stick
2 tsp anise (aniseed) seeds
2 chicken stock cubes
1 1/2 litres hot water
To garnish
8 tbsp thick plain yoghurt
2 handfuls coriander leaves
4 tbsp cooked wild black rice (optional)
1 handful pumpkin seeds
1 lemon
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees fan-forced, 200 degrees conventional.
2. Oil and season the pumpkin and root vegetables and place on a lined baking tray.
3. Roast for an hour or until tender and cooked through.
4. While the vegetables are roasting, place a large wide-based pot over medium heat. Add a good slug of oil, the sliced onions, garlic and ginger. Cook for about eight minutes or until the onions are soft and starting to caramelise. Add the cinnamon stick and anise seeds and stir to combine.
5. Remove the cooked vegetables from the oven. Peel the sweet potato and chop roughly. Place all the vegetables in the pot with the cooked onion mix, crumble in the stock cubes and add 1½ litres of hot water. Simmer for half an hour.
6. Once cooked, remove the cinnamon stick and puree with a stick blender. Check and adjust the seasoning.
7. Serve with a dollop of yoghurt, some wild rice sprinkled on top (if using), coriander leaves, a sprinkling of pumpkin seeds and a squeeze of lemon.
