Pumpkin Soup with Shrimp

Ever wondered what a typical saturday afyernoon is jamaica was like? Try this soup and you'll not not only get the feeling of sitting under a breadfruit tree in your backyard, listening to some sweet reggae, but you might never actually want to try soup any other way. I vividly remembered every saturday after while laying, the scent of the partially cooked pumpkin soup with lift me up and transport me to the kitchen. I'd stand there, counting down the time until its done and once finished, I would start eating before the scorcthing tenperature decreases. I gaurantee you, if this isnt the best soup youve ever had,you did something wrong :).

INGREDIENTS :

• 3 qt. water
• 1lb shrimp
• 1/2 lb. carrots, cubed
• 1/4 lb. turnips, cubed
• 3 Garlic pegs crushed
• 1 lb. Pumpkin/Squash (cut up into 1 inch pieces)
• 1/2 lb. cho cho/Christophine (cut up into 1 inch pieces)
• 1 lb. yellow yam, cut up
• 3 sprig thyme
• 2 stalks escallion
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 Medium Irish Potato  (optional) 
• 3 stalks of celery diced (optional) 
• 3 stalks of corn broken in half (optional) 

METHOD:

1. Boil chicken in 3 qts. water for 20 minutes with pumpkin, cho cho, pimentos, garlic and salt
2. Cut up vegetables, yam and cho cho and add with the other ingredients to the pot
3. Dumplings/spinners may be added if desired.
4. Simmer for ½  hour until yam is cooked  (soft but not mushy) and the soup is of a medium consistency.
5. Serves 6