Who can say if I've been changed for the better? Lifechanging soup. Changed up

I have oft waxed lyrical of the power of Skye Gyngell's Lifechanging soup - also known by the author herself as Sweet potato and ginger soup. From my much loved (read sticky) copy of her book A year in my kitchen it was the first recipe of hers I tried and it was a resounding success.

Of late, I'm not sure if it is to do with the migraine medication or *gasp* my tastebuds finally maturing, but I don't crave sweetness anymore. Saturday was the first chocolate I have eaten in ages and that was Green and Blacks 70%. For some reason that sugary hit is no longer what I fancy (food that crunches however? Bring. It. On.) As such, looking at Lifechanging soup this morning didn't really ring my bells. So I changed it up. A bit. And here it is.

Lifechanging soup. Changed.

2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
2 red onions, finely chopped
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 red chilli or, 1 tsp lazy red chilli
1.5 tablespoons of fresh root ginger grated
1.5 litres of chicken/ veg stock
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon tamarind paste
1 tablespoon palm sugar
1 lime, juiced

Melt the butter in a large pan and sweat the onions off until they're starting to soften.
Add the ginger, tamarind and chilli and cook off until you can smell the aromatics
Add the potato and stir until slightly shiny from the butter and spices
Add the stock (I used chicken as that's what I had in the freezer)
Cook for half an hour or until you can smush the potatoes easily against the side of the pan
Blitz in the pan using a hand held blender, until you get a nice smooth consistency
Taste, and add seasoning to taste
Bring back to the boil and serve with sourdough bread and butter

I'm having this for lunch at the moment, on these chilly, sunny spring days it's lightness of flavour yet oomph from the spicing is just what's needed to power me through the afternoon. Yum.

The original recipe calls for maple syrup and cream instead of the palm sugar, and doesn't use chilli but I like the fresher, zingier flavour at this time of year. The original has it's place and is equally as life changing.