A new direction - Sweet Potato and Coconut Soup

I am going to stop trying to write a blog and stick to what I know. I am going to post soup recipes. As and when I make them but probably once a week. I'd explain more, but we all know what's going on here.

Sweet Potato and Coconut Soup

A creation combining my own recipe for curry powder and my love of sweet potatoes and squash in soup. It takes a little while and might seem complex but it's surprisingly straightforward and therapeutic. To avoid the fiddly process of taking the cardamom and cloves out of your soup, try putting them in an emptied and resealed tea bag. It proved a nice winter soup which I'd serve with warm naan bread.

Ingredients:
2 small sweet potatoes
1 butternut squash
2 medium red onions
2 carrots
4 long thin green chillies
2 crushed garlic cloves
1tbsp grated root ginger
1 tsp of cumin seeds, mustard seeds, coriander seeds, cinnamon, paprika, turmeric and black pepper
3 cloves
5 cardamom pods
1tbsp tomato puree
1 tin coconut milk
2 vegetable stock cubes
juice of a lemon

Cut the squash in half and scoop out the seeds. Place on a tray with the sweet potatoes and roast in a little oil at gas mark 3 for half an hour

Keeping the tubers in the oven, peel and roughly chop the onions, chillies and carrots. Place them in your soup pot with a little oil, and the cardamom and cloves and soften over a low heat for about 15 minutes.

Toast the coriander, cumin and mustard seeds in a dry pan for a minute before grinding them into a powder (you can use pre-powdered spices)

Add the spices, garlic and  ginger and cook for a minute or so before adding the tomato puree and coconut milk. Simmer for around 15-20mins on a very low heat.

While this is happening, remove the root veg from the oven (after they've had about an hour), and remove the skins. If needed, chop the flesh up a little.

Fish the cardamom and cloves out of your soup pot. Add the sweet potato and butternut squash to your curry mixture, and cover with boiling water (you may need to add more later). Throw in the stock cubes.

Simmer (covered) for around 20mins on a low heat until everything's soft. Blend using a hand blender, and adjust thickness and seasoning to taste. Stir in the lemon juice just before serving.