6. spicy thai sweet potato soup

have a soup-erb Thursday!

Photo by Monika Grabkowska on Unsplash

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In case you missed last week’s Kitchen Diaries post, check it out here. Totally forget to schedule this post for Wednesday, so here it is on a Thursday afternoon for you!

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You’re probably well aware that once there’s the slightest drop in temperature people lose their shit and declare it to be soup season. Or if you’re in the US it’s “Pumpkin Spice Latte” season, which, by the way, taste like dirt and I love all things pumpkin. Hot opinion, I know.

If you live in the UK, you know that we’ve fully skipped autumn and have entered immediate cold cold weather. No cute light jackets and boots. I’ve shoved all my dresses away in favour for thick jumpers layered over more thick jumpers paired with thick socks. If you see someone who resembles the michelin man in London, just wave, it’s probably just me.

I bring you a soup recipe that my parents devoured, nearly licking the pot clean if I let them. We used an excessive amount of coriander as a topping, it’s up to you, it was well received and made in under an hour.

Buon appetito!

Spicy Thai Sweet Potato Soup

Ingredients

• 1 medium onion

• 1 garlic clove 

• 1 tbsp sunflower or olive oil

• 2 tbsp red Thai curry paste

• 1 x vegetable stock cube, dissolved in 800ml boiling water

• 2 large or 3 to 4 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped 650g to 700g

• 1 x 400ml tin coconut milk 

• 1 tsp soy sauce 

• 1 small bunch coriander

• Bread - I opted for some toasted sourdough

Method

1. Peel the onion, chop to an even dice and place into a large pan, to cook later on in the session.

2. Peel and chop the garlic.

3. Peel and chop the sweet potato into 2cm chunks, and place them in a bowl ready to cook.

4. Cook the onions until they start to soften. 

5. Add the garlic and cook for a further minute.

6. Add the red Thai curry paste and soy sauce and cook for a couple of minutes.

7. Add the chopped sweet potato and stir well.

8. Add the vegetable stock to the pan, it is better to have a thicker soup and add stock than to make it too thin. Bring to a boil, then turn down the heat and simmer for approximately 20-25 minutes until the sweet potatoes are tender.

9. Whilst the soup is cooking, prepare the coriander by roughly chopping. Set aside on the board.

10. Stir in the coconut milk, holding back a little to serve.

11. Using a stick blender, carefully blend the soup until smooth. Alternatively, use the back of a spoon to press the sweet potato chunks into a sieve to form a puree. 

12. Toast your bread. Serve up a bowl with a drizzle of coconut milk and a sprinkle of chopped coriander.

PS. One of my favourite substack writers, Come Como Kiki wrote what is considered soup. Apparently, there is a classification system. Who knew?

Also, do we like soup, yay or nay? Vote below!

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If you have any cookbook or recipe suggestions? My DMs are always open @natcrx or let’s chat in the comments below!

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