Thai Fish and Pumpkin Soup

When one is gifted with a lot of winter squash one gets creative with different ways to enjoyt it. The recipe below is only one of many ways.
Serves 4

1 tablespoon sunflower or canola oil
3 tablespoons Thai red curry paste
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger, optional
2 cups light coconut milk
3 cups chicken or fish stock, preferably home-made
3 – 4  shallots, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 long red chile, thinly sliced
2 kaffir lime leaves, finely shredded (optional)
2 cups peeled and cubed pumpkin, cut in about 3/4-inch pieces
1 red bell pepper, cut into strips
1 medium carrot, julienned
2 tablespoons tamarind purée
2 tablespoons fish sauce
1 tablespoon brown sugar
Kosher salt to taste
20 oz skinless chunky fish fillets (such as blue eye, ling or snapper), cut into 1-inch pieces
4 oz baby spinach leaves

Heat oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add curry paste and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes or until fragrant. Add the ginger if using an cook for another 15 seconds.

Add the coconut milk, stock, shallots, garlic, chile and kaffir lime leaves, if using, and stir to combine. Add pumpkin, bell pepepr, tamarind, fish sauce, sugar and a pinch of salt and cook for 20 minutes or until the pumpkin is tender.

Add fish and simmer for 5 minutes or until the fish is opaque.

Place half the spinach in 4 warm bowls and top with the fish and veg. Scatter with remaining spinach, then ladle the sauce over the top and serve.