I love a good soup. This Sweet Potato Satay one is pretty special. Ok I know it’s not a flavour combo you’d probably expect in a soup but it works. It’s warm and spicy with the flavours of chilli, garlic and ginger and sweet and earthy with red lentils, carrots and the sweet potatoes themselves. It’s full of good things that fight both a cold and the cold itself, and yet it’s satay flavours lend themselves to being eaten in warmer weather when you need a pick up. It’s “accidentally” vegan, gluten free and if you have a nut allergy works as a spiced sweet potato soup if you don’t add the peanut element. It’s an all round winner!
Of course the use of the peanut satay flavours in this soup doesn’t make this an authentic Indonesian dish We are entering the same battlefield as M&S are at the moment with their biryani wrap in terms of authenticity. To call a soup satay (which historically was essentially a meat kebab) is technically incorrect, but my use of satay here does give you an extremely good idea of this soups flavour profile which I can’t think of any other way of doing so succinctly.
Depending on the time of year, I like to adjust this soup’s thickness/viscosity. In the winter I like it thick and almost dhal like. In the summer, by letting the blended soup down by adding water, I like it looser and more of a traditional soup consistency. This is all a matter of personal preference of course so do whatever feels right for you. Continue reading