Heat the oil in a 4- to 5-quart soup pot or Dutch oven over medium-low heat. Add the shallots and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and fragrant, about 4 minutes. Do not brown. Add the chicken broth, raise the heat to high and bring to a boil. Add the squash cube if using raw squash,vanilla bean and the cinnamon stick and season lightly with salt and pepper. Adjust the heat so the broth is simmering, cover the pot and cook about 20 minutes.
Remove the vanilla bean from the soup, split it lengthwise with a paring knife and scrape the vanilla specks from inside the bean into the pot. Remove and discard the cinnamon stick. If using precooked squash, remove the flesh from the roasted squash, discard skin and add to soup. Puree the soup until very smooth, working in batches as needed. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Whisk in the coconut milk, cloves and allspice. Heat the soup gently until heated through. The soup can be prepared completely in advance up to 2 days before serving. Refrigerate and bring back to a simmer, stirring, over very low heat before serving. Sprinkle a generous amount of the toasted almonds over each bowl of soup.
Notes
Note: To toast the almonds, spread them out on a baking sheet and bake in a 350-degree oven, stirring once or twice so they cook evenly, until golden brown, about 15 minutes. Or stir constantly in a frying pan on medium high until golden and fragrant.Adapted from Daisy Martinez
I am not a health professional and nutrition data is calculated programatically. Accuracy may vary with product selection, calculator accuracy, etc. Consult a professional for the best information.