Chicken Sweet Potato Soup Please!

Chiang Mai beauty

Mornings that rob my heart

Lost in Wilderness

There is something so comforting about food and I have never been particularly fond of 'taste of my country food', I have always been open to appreciate cuisines and traditional recipes from different parts of the world. There are certain flavours that stay with you and make you feel like you have found home. I experienced this when I was visiting one of my best friends in Thailand and she decided to take me to Chiang Mai where we stayed with a wonderful family. I was in love with Chiang Mai the minute I stepped my foot there; there are few places that get etched in our memory and always stay with us! Chiang Mai was my place; it was the place that I fell in love with the minute I opened my eyes after the flight journey. I am usually a very hopelessly talkative person but the journey from the airport to the friend's place was the quietest one in my life! I was so engrossed staring outside the car that my friend who was with her boyfriend thought I am trying to give them space. Well all I was doing was embracing this beautiful place like a long lost lover. The beautiful mountains and scenic beauty had enamoured my senses and I promised myself to buy a house here after few years. It was like being in a trance and Chiang Mai had all my attention!

Chiang Mai Sunset

There was something magical about not only this place but also the people who were so humble and welcoming. The family of my friend's boyfriend were extremely down to earth and kind people. A place is known by its people and no wonder Chiang Mai had a sense of pure innocent beauty that made me fall in love with it every single day! I fell sick the following day with fever and I had terrible menstrual cramps. The family made chicken sweet potato soup for me and I did not know how to tell the mother that I was trying to be vegetarian for few months now. Well I could not even dare to say no to the kind mother who had made the perfect soup on this planet. The minute the hot soup was placed in front of me, I was drawn to the authentic aroma that was an eclectic mix of herbs and spices. The lingering aroma of sweet potato had filled the room and the coriander leaves had already made me feel at peace. Thai chicken sweet potato soup has been the best soup ever that managed to make me feel so happy and relaxed that I forgot all about my cramps. When I heard food lovers talk about food orgasm I had no idea what a relaxing effect it has on the mind! This soup actually made me realise there is something so beautiful and relaxing about good food that you forget about all the pain in your body. It did not have any overpowering flavours but pure earthly flavours that are really difficult to find. I managed to get the special recipe of Thai chicken sweet potato soup from my thai friend. I am sure every person would love to try it. I was told that there are some secret ingredients added in the authentic Chiang Mai recipe; feel free to mention them in the comments section. 

Recipe of Thai Chicken Sweet Potato Soup

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/380061656027995049/

1 tsp rapeseed oil

2 garlic cloves

1 red chilli

2 cm root ginger

1 stalk lemon grass

25 gm coriander leaves

2 tsp red thai curry paste

1 cup coconut milk

750 ml chicken stock

2 chicken breasts

500 gm sweet potatoes

1 lime

1 tsp sugar

Half tsp fish sauce

Method

Heat the oil in a large saucepan and add chopped garlic, ginger, chilli, lemon grass and coriander. Add curry paste and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Add coconut milk, chopped sweet potatoes and chicken stock. Cook until the potatoes turn soft and cook well. Remove the stalk of lemon grass then blend the mixture until smooth otherwise mash it; depending on the way you like the consistency of the soup. Add chicken pieces to the soup and let it cook for 10 to 12 minutes. Add lime juice, sugar and fish sauce to the soup. Garnish it with coriander and the authentic soup is ready! 

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/185210603395752121/