My sister-in-law made this, and when I asked her for the recipe, she, an experienced cook, gave me some very general directions. I, having far less soup-making experience than her, found a similar recipe online and modified it. I don't remember where I got the recipe, so I can't properly credit it, but I can say the peanut butter was entirely my sis-in-law's idea, and the white rum was in the recipe I got online. I think both additions are essential, but I eat it as a main dish, so I need the protein and fat in the peanut butter. The rum just somehow magically marries the flavors together. I think of it as the essence of pure flavor. I probably add a lot more curry, garlic and ginger than the recipe says. I also add whatever random vegetables are around that need to be used up. I've never tried the optional sour cream topping.
1 tablespoon oil
1/2-3/4 cup chopped onion (1-2 onions)
1 garlic clove, chopped
1 tablespoon curry paste
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
4 cups peeled and cubed sweet potatoes (not yams)
1 red bell pepper, deseeded and chopped
3 1/2 cups chicken stock or vegetable stock
2 tablespoons rum (optional but recommended, I use white rum)
peanut butter, maybe 1/2-1 cup, to taste
salt
recommended topping
4-6 tablespoons sour cream (any fat content)
sweet paprika
Directions
1 SOUP:.
2 In a soup pot, heat oil over medium-low heat. Add curry paste and onions and cook for 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat if necessary. Add garlic clove and ginger and cook for another 1-2 minutes.
3 Add sweet potatoes and pepper. Mix. Add stock. Cook for 15 minutes or until vegetables are very soft.
4 Puree the ingredients in batches in a blender or puree the whole amount directly in the pot with a hand blender (if pot is high enough).
5 Check if you like the consistency of the soup. Add more stock or water if desired and adjust the seasonings (check if salt is needed). You can add more curry paste if desired, but most pastes need to be cooked first before adding to a dish. Add rum and peanut butter if using.
6 Serve:.
7 Serve in individual bowls and top each with a tablespoon of sour cream and a sprinkle of sweet paprika.
