Coconut & Sweet Potato Noodle Soup

Soups play a major role in Asian cuisine, and this fragrant, nourishing and coconut-rich soup can make a satisfying one-dish meal. This is an extract from the Big Book of Wok by Nicola Graimes, that brings together a collection of 365 recipes for snacks, lunches and dinners.

Preparation Time: 20 minutes
Cooking Time: 25 minutes

Ingredients:

2 tbsp sunflower oil
2 large onions, chopped 2 cloves garlic, chopped 12 chestnut mushrooms, sliced 3 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and diced 1 recipe quantity Thai Red Curry Paste
1.2 litres (2 pints, 5 cups) vegetable stock
250ml (9fl oz, 1 cup) coconut milk
2 tbsp light soy sauce salt and freshly ground black pepper handful of fresh coriander, roughly chopped 175g (6oz) rice noodles, cooked

Method:

• Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a wok and stir-fry half the chopped onions until crisp and golden. Remove from the wok and set on one side.
• Heat the remaining oil in the wok. Add the rest of the chopped onion and stir-fry for 4 minutes. Add the garlic, mushrooms and sweet potatoes and stir-fry for another 2 minutes. Stir in the curry paste and cook for 3 minutes.
• Pour in the vegetable stock and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in the coconut milk and soy sauce and cook for another 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper, then stir in the coriander.
• Divide the noodles between four bowls and pour the soup over the top. Sprinkle with the crispy onions and serve.