Coconut, Sweet Potato, and Spinach Soup

• 2 tbsp/1oz/25g butter
• 1 lb/450g sweet potatoes cut into ½ in/1 cm dice
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic, crushed
• 1 tsp/5g grated fresh root ginger
• 1 tbsp/15ml medium curry paste
• 2 ½ cups/1 pint/600ml vegetable broth
• 1 cup/8fl oz/250ml coconut milk
• Juice of 1 lime
• ½ tsp/2.5g crushed dried chili peppers
• 3 cups/12oz/350g fresh spinach, shredded

Salt and black pepper 

1.  Melt the butter in a saucepan and fry the potatoes, onion, garlic, ginger, and curry paste for 5 minutes, or until lightly golden.   

2.  Add the broth, coconut milk, lime juice, and chili pepper.  Bring to the boil, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes or until the potatoes are tender. 

3. Leave the soup to cool a little, then puree half of it using a hand-mixer.  Return the puree to the pan, add the spinach, and cook for 1-2 minutes, or until the spinach has just wilted and the soup has heated through. 

Season to taste.