Mauritian creamy sweet potato soup

Sweet potatoes are an important crop on the islands of Comoros and Mayotte. There are native varieties that are essential to the cuisine, Ktuna with red skin and yellow flesh and Zora with yellow skin and white flesh. These are cooked in a number of ways, including boiling, mashing, frying, and grinding into flour, all of which are then used to make unique dishes.

I love sweet potatoes, and will get them every instance I can. There is the sweetness, especially when they are baked, that is irresistible.

In this dish, the sweet potato is the star, and the flavours complement it. The light hint of spice from the chilli and ginger, and the creaminess from the coconut milk, make this a dream soup. Did I mention how much I enjoyed it?

This cookbook is unique on my bookshelf; it brings me island flavours from the coasts of Africa and India, adding a new dimension. This bright and fun cookbook enhances my table with the cuisine and culture of the Maldives and the surrounding islands from this region. A mix of beautiful flavours from India and Africa with a tropical twist makes every dish in this book amazing.

For more recipes from this cookbook, click here.

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons coconut oil

1 onion, thinly sliced

3 garlic cloves, minced

2 tablespoons ginger paste

2 lb sweet potatoes

1 large tomato, diced

Salt, to taste

1/2 teaspoon chilli powder

1/2 teaspoon pepper

6 cups water

1/2 cup coconut milk

Wedge of lime for garnish

Cilantro or mint, sliced, for garnish

Start by prepping the sweet potatoes. I use white sweet potatoes, and they tend to oxidise to a grey when exposed to air. Fill a bowl with water and squeeze the juice of one lime into the water. Peel the sweet potato under running water so it does not oxidise. Remove and cut into 2-inch pieces, then return to the water and keep submerged. When all the potatoes are peeled, rinse out the water and discard the peels. Keep the chunked potatoes under water until needed.

Heat the oil on low heat in a pot. Add the onion and garlic, and cook over a low flame for about 12-15 minutes, until the onions are very soft but not taking on any colour. Add the ginger and cook for 2 minutes, until it no longer smells raw.

Add the potatoes and toss well in the oil. Turn the heat up to medium-high and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add the tomatoes, salt, pepper, chilli powder and water and bring to a boil. Simmer for 30 minutes.

Check the potatoes; they should be very soft by now. Add the coconut milk and simmer for another 10 minutes. Cool the soup. Blend with a hand blender or in a blender until very smooth. Taste for salt and adjust if needed. The soup should be balanced between sweet and salty, with a kick from the ginger. The texture should be thick enough to coat a spoot well and be very creamy.

Serve hot with a wedge of lime on the side and garnished with cilantro or mint.