Easy Healthy Butternut Squash & Shrimp Soup

I like all kinds of choices in the squash family, such as pumpkin, Japanese squash, butternut squash etc.. Butternut squash is one of the varieties of winter squash. Each of the squash has a lot of vitamin A and potassium and fiber. The Vietnamese cuisine has many recipes for squash from sweet to savory. I am happy to see that Costco is now selling the frozen butternut squash. It makes cooking much easier. Today, I will introduce a Vietnamese squash soup that my mom prepared for us children many moons ago. I use her recipe and changes to the butternut squash because it is available to me. This soup is fantastic to eat by itself or served with rice for a whole family like many Vietnamese moms do.

Ingredients;
1 bag of frozen butternut squash
4 oz. frozen shrimp, shell removed
1/2 white onion, cut into thick slices
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup kelp stock (optional)
3 cups chicken stock
1 tsp salt
1 tbs fish sauce
1 tsp sugar
1 tbs oil
Garnishes:
Chopped green onion and cilantro
Black pepper

Directions:
Heat oil in a medium sauce pan. Cook onions and garlic for 3 minutes or until fragrant. Add shrimp and cook for 3 minutes. Add stock and bring to boil. Add butternut squash. , Bring back to boil. Season the soup with salt, sugar and fish sauce. Simmer for 15 minutes or until the butternut squash is soft and tender. Serve as a family style, such as ladle the soup in a big tureen or individual bowls and sprinkle with green onions, cilantro and black pepper.
Tips: there is no need to thaw either the shrimp or butternut squash, which makes this soup is easy to prepare .

 

 
*Use 4” x 4” kelp. Soak in 4 cups water for 30 minutes. Slowly bring to boil and turn the heat off. Remove kelp. Drain the kelp stock and refrigerate.