Wild by Tart's sweet potato laksa curry recipe
A comforting and healthy laksa recipe from Lucy Carr-Ellison and Jemima Jones of Wild by Tart restaurant
Sweet potato laksa curry
An easy, comforting laksa soup this lasts well in the fridge and freezes well. Use this recipe as a rough guide, it will work will even if you do not have all the ingredients. For the curry paste you can use jarred chilli, garlic or ginger if you are not able to get your hands on the fresh ingredients. Again for the toppings – the world is your oyster, make this curry your own by adding whatever you have available in your fridge or store cupboard.
Serves 4 – 5
Curry paste:
3 shallots, peeled and roughly chopped
3 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
3 red bird's-eye chillis, or 1 Scotch Bonnet chilli
thumb-sized piece of root ginger, roughly peeled
2 lemongrass stalks, outer tough leaves removed (or use 2 tsp lemongrass from jar)
2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp ground coriander
thumb-sized piece of fresh turmeric, or 1 tbsp ground turmeric
1 butternut squash, or 4 sweet potatoes, weighing approx 1kg
2 tbsp coconut oil, or any flavourless oil
2 x 400g cans coconut milk
1 litre vegetable or chicken stock
5 kaffir lime leaves
1 tbsp fish sauce
juice of 1-2 limes
1 tsp honey
To serve – optional
Noodles
Leftover chicken
Diced aubergine, fried
Chopped shitake mushrooms, raw or fried with garlic
1 red chilli, sliced
peanuts, crushed
spring onion, chopped
tofu, cubed
beansprouts
mixed seeds
yoghurt
chilli oil
coriander leaves
mint leaves
Thai basil leaves
1. Heat the oven to 180°C. If using sweet potatoes, peel two of them and chop into chunks. If using squash, halve it, peel and take out the seeds, then chop into chunks. Place on a tray and drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and pepper and place in the oven for 30 minutes, or until tender. Remove from the oven and set aside.
2. Peel the remaining squash or sweet potato and grate. Set aside.
3. For the paste: place all the ingredients into the blender with a tablespoon of water and whizz to a paste. Heat the oil in a pan and add the curry paste, cook for 2 minutes. Add the grated squash or sweet potato, cook for a further 2 mins then add the coconut milk and stock. Simmer for 10 mins or until tender. Add the fish sauce, lime juice and honey to taste then take off the heat and leave to cool slightly.
Place back in the blender and whizz until smooth. Divide between bowls and scatter over the roasted squash and choice of toppings.
