Thai Inspired Spicy Curry Butternut Squash Soup

Ingredients

• tablespoon solive oil
• chili moritas, or more to taste
• large white onion, diced
• carrots, peeled and diced
• stalk scelery, diced
• clove sgarlic
• salt and ground black pepper to taste
• tablespoon sred curry paste, or to taste
• tablespoon smoked paprika
• large butternut squash - peeled, seeded, and diced
• quart chicken stock
• quart water
• (14 ounce) can coconut milk
• bay leaves

Instructions

1. Heat a large heavy bottom pot over medium high heat; add olive oil. Cook and stir chili moritas in the hot oil until chili moritas are puffed and softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir onion, carrots, celery, garlic, salt, and pepper into chili moritas and cook until onion is translucent, 10 to 15 minutes.
2. Stir curry paste and paprika into chili onion mixture until coated. Add butternut squash; cook and stir until squash is lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Pour chicken stock, water, and coconut milk into squash mixture; add bay leaves. Bring mixture to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until squash is softened, about 1 hour.
3. Pour squash mixture into a blender no more than half full. Cover and hold lid down; pulse a few times before leaving on to blend. Puree in batches until smooth.