Thai Pumpkin Soup

INGREDIENTS:
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 tablespoon butter
1 clove garlic, chopped
4 shallots, chopped
2 small fresh red chili peppers, chopped
1 tablespoon chopped lemon grass
2 1/8 cups chicken stock (In the original recipe they used 2 cups mango nectar instead of chicken stock, but I think the chicken stock makes this a heartier soup. If you want a fruitier soup or a vegetarian soup, by all means try it with the mango!)
4 cups peeled and diced pumpkin (you can use canned pumpkin, but it's not the same)
1 1/2 cups unsweetened coconut milk
1 bunch fresh basil leaves

DIRECTIONS
1. In a medium saucepan, heat oil and butter over low heat. Cook garlic, shallots, chilies, and lemongrass in oil until fragrant (be careful not to burn the garlic, I do this all the time and it really affects the taste). Stir in chicken stock, coconut milk, and pumpkin; bring to a boil. Cook until pumpkin softens.
2. In a blender, blend the soup in batches to a smooth or slightly chunky consistency, whatever you prefer. Serve with basil leaves.


Recipe Source: Augmented from Zesty Cook

AMENDMENT: I changed up the ingredients in quantity and changed he base of the soup from mango to chicken stock. For a vegetarian version keep the mango.