Sweet Potato Tahini Soup

It's time for another Secret Recipe Club recipe. This month I had Searching for Spice.

To continue my odd June fetish with warm soups, I chose her sweet potato tahini soup. It just sounded good. And wholesome. But it sounded good first. Also, I have a bag of sweet potatoes languishing on my shelf. It needed some attention. Also, I'd never added tahini to a soup (or anything except hummus) before and it sounded intriguing.

This soup was delicious. And wholesome. (And really cheap, but still filling.) If you'd like to try it, but don't have your own languishing bag of sweet potatoes she's got a similar one for carrots, which are more seasonally correct right now. Though I really did enjoy the play of that sweet potato against the spice that was chili and curry. I'm not much into sweet soups (though a really good one can win me over) and this was not sweet. It had a really lovely balance of flavors that kept the sweetness of the sweet potato from taking over. It was just an undertone and it was perfect. After an afternoon of painting a garden fence (it's done; hallelujah) I snarfed the whole thing down myself. Next time I'm making a bigger batch.

Sweet Potato Tahini Soup
adapted from Searching for Spice
Serves 2 (or one really hungry person)
Prep and cook time: 45 minutes
Cost: $.45
sweet potato: .20, onion: .15, other stuff: .10--guessing a bit here, I admit)

1 Tbsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 chili pepper or a dash of chili powder (if you're a weakling like me)
1 tsp curry powder
1 sweet potato, diced
1 Tbsp red lentils, rinsed (I'm sure another variety of lentils would have rocked too)
1 1/3 C water
1/2 Tbsp tahini
salt to taste
cilantro for garnish, optional
a splash of coconut milk or cream wouldn't hurt either, but I was good with the soup as it was

Heat oil in a pot. Add onion and cook until tender, about 10 minutes. Add garlic, chili powder, and curry. Cook until fragrant (30-60 seconds).

Add sweet potatoes and lentils. Stir them around for a minute or so, then cover them with water. (This was Corina's instruction and I loved how instinctive it was; if you're not so into instinct, I used about 1 1/3 C water.)

Bring to boil. Then reduce to simmer, cover, and cook until sweet potatoes are tender--about 20 minutes, though maybe longer if you're doubling this recipe.

Add tahini and stir in until it dissolves.

Add salt to taste--I gave it several solid dashes.

I mashed the soup with a potato masher, although I'm sure you could leave it chunky or puree it.

Serve with cilantro, coconut milk, or cream if you wish. And save some for lunch already.

PRINTABLE RECIPE