SPICED SWEET POTATO & COCONUT LAKSA

NUT FREE FREEZES WELL LUNCH BOX If you need a pick-me-up then this is your recipe. It’s like a hug in a bowl: creamy, filling and full of all my favourite ingredients – noodles, sweet potatoes, ginger, turmeric and coconut milk. It’s just the dream meal on a cold day.

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% Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Step 1

1. Chop the sweet potatoes into small cubes, no bigger than 2cm – you want to keep them small so that they get tender in the 15 minutes you’ll simmer the soup.

Step 2

2. Melt the coconut oil in a large saucepan over a low heat and add the garlic, ginger, fresh and dried chilli, cumin, smoked paprika, turmeric, coconut sugar and a pinch of salt. Gently cook the mixture until the garlic softens, which should take about 2 minutes, then add the sweet potato.

Step 3

3. Stir the sweet potatoes into the oil and spices, let them cook for a minute or so, then pour in the coconut milk, the boiling water, lime juice, tomato purée and tamari.

Step 4

4. Let the soup simmer for about 15 minutes, until the potatoes are cooked through but not breaking apart.

Step 5

5. While the soup is simmering, cook the noodles. Place a large pan of salted water over a medium heat and bring to the boil. Once boiling, cook the noodles following the instructions on the packet. Drain well and run them under cold water so they don’t go mushy, then set aside.

Step 6

6. When the soup is ready, stir the noodles and half the bean sprouts into the pan. Then serve the soup in two bowls, adding an extra squeeze of lime juice, the other half of the bean sprouts and the chopped coriander to each bowl.