Spiced Pumpkin and Tomato Soup Chicken

The last of the pumpkins for the year!

I like buying pumpkins. I always get all sorts of ideas on ways to cook or bake with them whenever I see them at the markets. But sometimes, things don't always go as planned and all those big plans I had for them go poof! and to prevent it from going moldy (it's very humid here), I'd steam it, mash it and then freeze it.

This is my very last frozen pack of mashed pumpkin. I didn't want to make the regular stuff so I thought I'd tweak a childhood favorite dish of my husband's. It's actually a local dish called "ayam masak merah" in the Malay language (literally translated: ayam = chicken; masak = cook; merah = red), which should really read as, "red cooked chicken". The spices vary very much from household to household and also from state to state. And ... there is never any pumpkin involved.

Like I said, it's my version .....

INGREDIENTS

2 whole chicken legs, chopped into large pieces

2 whole star anise

1 large cinnamon stick

1 large knob ginger, smashed

5 cardamom pods

1/2 tbs chilly flakes

3 tbs fried shallots crisps

1 cup thick tomato soup / 1 250ml canned tomato soup

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup pureed / mashed cooked pumpkin

grapeseed oil

METHOD

Heat a little oil and toss in star anise, cinnamon, ginger and cardamom. Stir for a minute or two to release the aromas.

Stir in chicken pieces to brown evenly.

Add tomato soup and water. Stir to combine. Lower heat, cover and allow to simmer 10 mins.

Give it a stir and if needed, add a little more water. Cover and simmer another 10 mins or until chicken is fully cooked through and half of the liquid has evaporated.

When cooked, stir in chilly flakes and pumpkin.

Allow to simmer uncovered for another couple of minutes.

Stir in 2 tbs fried crispy shallots. Sprinkle with remaining 1 tbs of the fried shallots just before serving.

Serve hot with fluffy rice, naan or crusty bread.