FROM THE UNION KITCHEN: Sweet potato, chilli, ginger and coconut soup

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This is a great soup. It’s vegan so great for this month, has a hint of warmth from the chilli and a nod to sunnier climates with the ginger and coconut. I’ve sold gallons of this from my stall at Kew village farmers market over the years and it’s always very popular.

Serves 6

• 4 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2’’ piece of ginger, peeled and chopped
• 6 peeled cloves of garlic
• 1 or 2 red chillies, deseeded and chopped (depending on your heat tolerance)
• 2 sticks of celery, sliced
• 1 onion, peeled and chopped
• 1 leek, trimmed, washed and chopped
• 1.25kg sweet potato, peeled and chopped.
• 1 vegetable stock cube, dissolved in 1 litre of water, or 1 litre homemade vegetable stock
• 400g tin coconut milk
• Salt and pepper
• Fresh coriander to finish

Heat the oil in a large pan and cook the onion, leek, celery, chilli, ginger and garlic all together over a low heat until softened but not coloured.

Add the sweet potato and vegetable stock. Top up with more water if needed until the potatoes are just covered.

Simmer for about 15-20 minutes until sweet potato is soft and falling apart.

Leave to cool then blend smooth. (It’s best to add the coconut when the soup is cold, unless you’re eating it straight away as the coconut can make the soup go off more quickly if added to a hot soup.)

Season well and finish off with some fresh coriander.