Thai Butternut Squash Soup + squash baking tips

This one is for my dad because I think he will like it, but I also think he'll be disturbed by one particular ingredient, and I like disturbing the poor gentleman.

(slightly adapted) from Moosewood Simple Suppers

1 cup light coconut milk
1/2 teaspoon Thai red curry paste
4 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups vegetable stock
1 Keiffer lime leaf (optional but I did it)
half a fresh butternut squash for: 4 cups chopped, cooked butternut squash (or 2, 12 oz packages of frozen cooked winter squash)
1 lime
2 cups fresh baby spinach
chopped fresh cilantro (optional)

Pan-fried Tofu
1/2 cake FIRM tofu (about 8 ounces)
1 tablespoon soy sauce (I use reduced salt variety)
1/2 teaspoon Thai red curry paste
1 teaspoon vegetable oil

I could not find frozen or pre-cubbed squash so I simply grabbed a giant butternut squash. (If you're using fresh squash, you only really need a half, as I discovered.)

Method I used to bake the squash - Preheat oven to 350F. Wash the squash. Cut the bastard in half, being careful. Coat the squash's exposed flesh with olive oil. I put the bastard cut side up into a roasting pan, and filled the pan with 1 inch of water. Bake for 1 hour. It really worked! Squash came out DONE and tasty (I had a bit with some sugar on top right out of the oven.)

Onto the soup - In a soup pot, whish together the coconut milk, curry paste, sugar, salt and broth. Add the lime leaf and freshly baked squash (or frozen squash), cover, and bring to a simmer. Cook, covered, until heated through, or if using frozen squash, about 15 minutes until squash is thawed.

Meanwhile, prepare the Pan-Fried Tofu. Cut the tofu into small cubes, delighting in it's texture, and put them in a bowl. Toss with soy sauce and the curry paste. Heat the oil in a small skillet on medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add the tofu and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes. Set aside.

Lightly grate the lime peel and juice the lime. Add to the simmering soup. Stir in the spinach and tofu and cook just until the spinach wilts. Add more sugar or salt to taste. Serve the soup garnished with cilantro if you like. (I used parsley, don't judge me.)

Variation: replace the tofu with 1/2 lb of shrimp if you like, either pan frying them like the tofu, or putting them in the simmering soup for 4-5 minutes before you add the spinach. After watching this Ted video on the ocean though, I'm not very likely to go for the shrimp option. Thanks for ruining my favorite seafood choice, TED. (I still eat them, just with shame now.)

Anywho,

As I went too large with my squash selection, I had lots leftover and visions of squash pies and breads flew through my head. I ended up just making this pumpkin bread recipe, from here.

Hope someone makes this delicious soup!