Unlike other recipes, the pumpkin for this soup is not baked or fried, but steamed. This makes the soup perfectly balanced, moderately sweet, bright, and with spicy curry notes.According to the authors of the recipe, this gentle method of cooking makes the texture of the soup smoother and more velvety.
Peel and thinly slice the shallot.Peel the apple, remove the core and cut into quarters.
Remove seeds and fibers from pumpkin, set aside. Cut the pumpkin into 6-8 pieces.
Heat half the butter in a large heavy-bottomed saucepan or roaster.Add shallot and fry until soft, 2 to 3 minutes, stirring.Add pumpkin seeds and fibers and cook for about 4 more minutes, stirring frequently.Pour in water and bring to a boil.
Reduce the heat to low, set the steamer and place the pumpkin skin side down and the apples in it (I personally decided to add the apples to the soup later, raw). Cover with a lid and cook for 30-40 minutes.Use tongs to transfer the pumpkin to a baking tray and let cool. Separate the flesh from the skin with a spoon, discard the skin.
Strain the liquid from the pan through a fine sieve.
Purée the pumpkin pulp, apples, and 600 ml of the pan liquid in a blender, for about 1-2 minutes. It's best to do this in batches: puree half first along with the liquid, then add the rest and puree finally.
Pour the soup into a clean saucepan. Pour in the cream, add the curry powder, salt, sugar (taste the soup before you add sugar, I found it quite sweet and I think sugar is unnecessary here) and the remaining butter.Return to the heat and stir until it begins to boil. Taste for salt, add more if needed.
Serve garnished with olive oil, cream and pumpkin seeds, or with croutons.