Chilled Cantaloupe Curry Soup is cool, creamy and just a little spicy. Made with ripe summer cantaloupe, fresh ginger, serrano and a subtle hint of curry. Just a splash of fresh orange juice brightens the melon without turning this into orange juice soup, while plain yogurt adds just enough richness.
Why You will Love this Chilled Soup
- Fresh cantaloupe stays front and center. Just ½ cup of fresh orange juice brightens its flavor rather than overwhelming it.
- A little heat keeps it interesting. Fresh ginger and serrano balance the natural sweetness of the melon.
- Curry adds depth. A teaspoon of curry powder gives the soup that little something you can't quite identify without making it taste like curry soup.
- Yogurt makes it creamy, not heavy. Just enough rounds out the flavors while keeping the soup light and refreshing.
- It's made for summer. No stove, no oven, about 10 minutes of actual work, then into the refrigerator.
My Inspiration
This recipe started with an exceptionally ripe cantaloupe sitting on my counter and a craving for something other than another bowl of melon cubes. I wanted a chilled soup that tasted primarily of cantaloupe, with a little heat, some depth and just enough creaminess to round everything out. Ginger, serrano, curry and a splash of orange juice turned out to be exactly what it needed.
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Chilled Cantaloupe Curry Soup
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds about 1 large ripe cantaloupe, seeded, peeled and diced
- 1 ounce peeled minced fresh ginger-root
- ½ - 1 teaspoon minced serrano pepper or to taste (about 1 large pepper) seeded if desired
- ½ cup fresh orange juice from 1 large orange
- ½ cup plain yogurt
- 1 teaspoon curry powder or to taste
- Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
- Diced fresh cucumber for garnish, optional
- Additional yogurt for garnish, optional
Instructions
- Place the cantaloupe, ginger, Serrano, and orange juice in a blender or food processor and process until smooth, add the yogurt and curry; process until fully incorporated. Taste and adjust for salt and pepper. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or more to allow the flavors to fully blend. Serve in cold bowls with optional garnishes.
Notes
Nutrition
The Most Important Ingredient: A Really Good Cantaloupe
Because cantaloupe is the star of this soup, its flavor matters more than anything else in the recipe. Look for a ripe summer melon that smells sweet and distinctly like cantaloupe at the blossom end. It should feel heavy for its size and have just a little give when pressed.
A bland melon will make a bland soup. There's nowhere for it to hide.
And after making this recipe for years, one of the best versions I've made came from a beautifully ripe, locally grown North Carolina cantaloupe. When the melon is that good, this soup really shines.
This is one time it's really good to step outside of the grocery store and into your local produce or farmers market.
Ingredients and Why They Work
Fresh cantaloupe: Use the best ripe melon you can find. You need about 1½ pounds after seeding and peeling.
Fresh ginger: Adds warmth and a little bite without competing with the melon.
Serrano pepper: Gives the soup its fresh chile heat. Serranos vary considerably, so taste yours before deciding how much to add. For less heat, remove the white membrane and seeds before mincing.
Fresh orange juice: Just ½ cup. Enough acidity and sweetness to lift the cantaloupe without masking it.
Plain yogurt: Adds body and a gentle tang while keeping the soup light and refreshing. Whole-milk or low-fat yogurt both work well; avoid nonfat yogurt, which doesn't provide quite the same roundness.
Curry powder: This is the background note that pulls everything together. It shouldn't dominate.
Salt and freshly ground pepper: Salt in particular will sharpen the melon and bring the flavors into focus.
Tips for Success
Start with a really good cantaloupe.
This soup has nowhere to hide a bland melon. Choose a ripe, fragrant, in-season cantaloupe with plenty of natural sweetness and flavor. Local summer cantaloupe is especially good when available. If supermarket cantaloupe is your only option, let it sit at room temperature for a few days until fragrant and slightly softened before making the soup.
Taste your serrano before adding it.
Serranos vary enormously in heat. Start with less and add more after blending. You can always increase the heat, but you can't take it back out.
Want more heat without more chile flavor?
Add a small pinch of cayenne. It increases the heat beautifully without changing the fresh cantaloupe, ginger, and curry flavors.
Give it time to chill.
Refrigerate the soup for at least an hour before serving. Besides making the soup refreshingly cold, the resting time allows the ginger, serrano, and curry to meld with the cantaloupe.
Taste again after chilling.
Cold dulls both seasoning and heat. Taste just before serving and adjust the salt, curry, or cayenne as needed.
Keep the orange juice in the background.
The orange juice should brighten the cantaloupe, not become the dominant flavor. The star of this soup is the melon.
FAQs
I'd choose orange-fleshed honeydew first if you can find it. It has the sweetness and juicy texture you need while staying fairly close to cantaloupe. A traditional green honeydew would also work, but it will give you a milder, less aromatic soup. I wouldn't use watermelon because the water content and flavor profile change the soup too much.
Yes, and you should. Make it at least an hour ahead so it's thoroughly chilled and the ginger, serrano and curry have time to meld with the cantaloupe. Making it the morning you plan to serve it would be ideal.
Yes. Buttermilk will make the soup slightly thinner and give it a brighter tang than yogurt. Start with ⅓ cup buttermilk, blend, then add more until you like the consistency rather than automatically adding the entire ½ cup.
Add a small pinch of cayenne pepper. Cayenne increases the heat without adding another prominent flavor. Start with ⅛ teaspoon, blend and taste before adding more.
Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, although the flavor and texture are best within the first 2 to 3 days. Stir well before serving.
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