Hot-and-Sour Pumpkin Soup

Ingredients

• 0.3 cup asian fish sauce 
• 3 lb cheese pumpkin peeled seeded cut into 1-inch cubes (6 cups)
• 2 qt chicken stock see canned
• 1 cup cooking wine dry white
• 1 tablespoon ginger fresh peeled chopped
• 1 inch galangal frozen thawed peeled coarsely chopped ( if )
• 1 tablespoon garlic chopped
• 4  kaffir lime leaves fresh ()
• 6  lemongrass stalks coarsely chopped (bottom 5 inches only)
• 0.3 cup juice of lime fresh
• 1 large onion coarsely chopped
• 8 servings shrimp toasts 
• 1 tablespoon sugar 
• 3  to 5 thai chiles fresh trimmed coarsely chopped () (seed chiles if a milder flavor is desired)
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil 

Equipment

• frying pan
• pot
• sieve

Directions

1. Cook onion, garlic, and ginger in 1 tablespoon oil in a 5-quart heavy pot over moderate heat, covered, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened, about 4 minutes.
2. Add pumpkin and wine and boil, uncovered, until wine is reduced by about half, about 5 minutes. Stir in stock and simmer, covered, until pumpkin is tender, about 20 minutes.
3. Heat remaining tablespoon oil in a 10-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then sauté lemongrass, galangal, and chiles to taste, stirring, until lightly browned, about 1 minute.
4. Remove from heat.
5. Purée pumpkin mixture in batches (use caution when blending hot liquids) and return to pot. Stir in lemongrass mixture, lime leaves, lime juice, fish sauce, and sugar. Simmer, uncovered, 20 minutes.
6. Pour soup through a sieve, discarding solids, and season well with salt and pepper.
7. • Soup can be made 2 days ahead and cooled, uncovered, then chilled, covered.