Sweet potato and coconut soup

[Serves 4–6]

1 kg orange-fleshed sweet potato, peeled and cubed
2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 onions, peeled and chopped
2 red peppers, seeded and chopped
2 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
5cm piece fresh ginger – peeled, grated
½ tsp ground cumin
1 red chilli, chopped
50g good quality Thai red curry paste
1½ litre chicken or vegetable stock
200ml coconut milk

Fresh coriander leaves to garnish

For the croutons

500g sweet potato
1 tbsp oil
½ tsp ground cumi

1 Preheat oven to 200°C. To make croutons, toss 500g of sweet potato cubes with oil and ground cumin and bake for half an hour or until golden brown.
2 Heat oil in a large pot and sweat onions, red peppers, garlic and ginger until just starting to colour.
3 Add spices and curry paste and fry for 1 minute. Add 1kg sweet potato, cover with stock and simmer for half an hour.
4 Add coconut milk, reserving 2 tbsp to garnish the soup with later,and simmer for 10 minutes. Blitz in a blender.
5 Serve the soup topped with sweet potato croutons, a swirl of coconut milk and fresh coriander leaves