William Chilila’s Butternut Squash Soup with Puff Puffs
By OcadoLife
Published on 13 December 2022
William Chilila, previously head chef of Akoko restaurant in London's Fitzrovia, says of his starter: “Buttery and light in texture, the puff puff is loved across West Africa and is an excellent dipping partner for this nutty, spiced soup – which can be made up to three days ahead.” Time and servings
1 hr 20 minsTotal time
20 minsPrep time
1 hrCooking time
Ingredients
- 1 medium butternut squash (approx. 750g), peeled and cut roughly into 4cm cubes
- 0.5 tsp of freshly grated nutmeg
- 1 large onion, halved and thinly sliced
- 1 scotch bonnet chilli, halved and deseeded
- 5 red peppers (approx. 750g)
- 5 tbsp of tomato purée
- 1 tbsp of red miso paste
- 275 ml of hot mushroom stock (made with ½ mushroom stock cube)
- 50 g of smooth peanut butter
- 600 ml of coconut milk
- 1 lemon, juiced (or more, to taste)
- 1 drizzle of olive oil, to drizzle
- 300 g of self-raising flour, for the puff puffs
- 10 g of fast-action dried yeast, for the puff puffs
- 0.5 tsp of ground nutmeg, for the puff puffs
- 0.5 tsp of ground cinnamon
- 0.5 tsp of sea salt flakes
- 1 tsp of caster sugar
- 500 ml of sunflower or vegetable oil, for deep-frying and extra for greasing
- 100 ml of groundnut oil
Method
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/gas 6. Put the squash into a roasting tin, add 50ml grapeseed oil, the nutmeg and a pinch of salt. Toss to coat, then roast for 25-30 mins. When tender, remove and set aside.Step 2
Meanwhile, in a wide saucepan (with a lid), heat the remaining grapeseed oil, then add the onion and a pinch of salt. Put the lid on the pan and sweat the onion over a low heat for about 10 mins, until softened.Step 3
While the veg cooks, combine all the ingredients for the puff puff dough (except the frying oil) in a bowl with 100ml warm water. Mix very well, with a spoon or your hands, until smooth. Cover with a clean tea towel and leave to rise in a warm place for 30 mins.Step 4
Take the lid off the onion, increase the heat to medium, and add the scotch bonnet, red peppers, tomato purée, red miso and mushroom stock. Stir, then cook for 15 mins. Meanwhile, transfer the squash to a blender (or use a stick blender) and blitz to a purée.Step 5
After the 15 mins, add the squash purée, peanut butter and coconut milk to the pan; cook for a further 5 mins.Step 6
Discard the scotch bonnet halves, then blend the mixture for about 5 mins, until smooth and creamy. Pass through a fine sieve for a smoother texture, if you like. Add lemon juice, to taste, and check the seasoning. Set aside until ready to serve, or leave to cool completely before storing in an airtight container in the fridge; the soup can be made up to 3 days in advance or frozen before you add the lemon juice.Step 7
Once the puff puff dough has rested, half-fill a wide, deep-sided pan with oil and heat until it reaches 160°C. If you don’t have a thermometer, drop a small piece of the dough into the oil; if it sizzles and rises to the surface, the oil is hot enough. While you wait, pour a little extra oil into a small cup or dish – you’ll use this to grease your spoon while shaping the puff puffs.Step 8
When the oil in the saucepan is hot enough, dip a tablespoon into the cup of cold oil, let the excess drain off, then scoop up a portion of dough and very gently release it into the pan. Repeat (but don’t overcrowd the pan), frying for a few mins until golden brown and gently turning to ensure even cooking. Remove with a slotted spoon and place on kitchen towel to soak up any excess oil. Work in batches until all the dough has been used, lightly greasing the tablespoon as needed. The mixture will make 12 ping-pong-sized puff puffs.Step 9
To serve, reheat the soup gently if needed, ladle into bowls and finish with a drizzle of olive oil. Serve 2 puff puffs alongside each bowl, for dipping.