Curried Sweet Potato Soup with Coconut Coriander and Chilli

There’s something ultra comforting about a soup that’s laced with a hint of Curry. As a child I adored proper Curry but I was also a little bit of a shamelss ‘Curry Chips’ addict, you know the chipper chips that are coated with that ready made sauce that has a slightly sweet and spicy curry flavour, made all the better by a good shake of salt and the chips being let go soggy in the bottom of the carton? As a 40 something year old now who watches what she eats breakouts like this are extremely rare so instead I satisfy my craving for that flavour with this Curried Sweet Potato Soup with Coconut, Coriander and Chilli.

Although our tastes may have evolved to grinding all sorts of spices that were unheard of back when I was a kid for things like this where you just want that curry hit then you can’t go wrong with a good quality ready made Curry Powder which will marry really well with the sweetness of the potato in this soup. I add red chilli to the soup as it’s cooking as I can’t get enough spice but you may prefer to leave it out.

I always make sure that I buy my ready made curry powder from one of my local wholefood stores as these ones have a much better quality and flavour and a better balance of spice in my opinion to the ones you get in a supermarket,

And on a dull winters day like today when the weather is cold and the rain is pouring down what is better than staying indoors and warming yourself with a steaming comforting bowl of this?

Ingredients:

1 Sweet Potato, Chopped
1 large Leek, washed, trimmed and sliced
1 Carrot, chopped
1 Red Chilli
Handful of Coriander torn
1/2 a can of coconut milk (you can add a full if you prefer)
3 tsp Medium Curry Powder
750 ml hot Chicken Stock
Squeeze of Lemon Juice
2 tbs Sunflower Oil
Salt and freshly ground Black Pepper
Finely sliced Red Chilli and torn Coriander to garnish

Directions:

Heat the Sunflower Oil in a heavy based saucepan over a medium heat.
Add your Sweet Potato, Carrot, Leeks and Red Chilli, season well then cover and sweat over a medium heat for 5-10 minutes or until they are nicely softened. Stir frequently to make sure they don’t stick.
Add your Curry Powder and toss to coat all the veg, cook for a minute or two then add the Coconut Milk and the Chicken Stock, cover and leave to simmer for a while until the veg is soft.
Add the chopped Coriander and let cook for a minute of two, check the seasoning add the squeeze of lemon juice and blitz with a soup gun or in your blender.
Pour into warmed soup bowls, scatter with finely chopped red chilli and torn coriander and enjoy!