Sweet Potato Chowder

I've been on a sweet potato/yam kick lately, and here's the latest yummy recipe I've come across. With 13 inches of snow in our backyard, nothing but soup sounds good to eat!

Sweet Potato Chowder

1 large onion, chopped
2 Tbsp cooking oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. red curry paste, or 2-3 tsp. curry powder
6 medium sweet potatoes (or yams, or both), peeled and cut into 3/4 inch pieces (about 3 lbs. or 7 cups)
2 14-oz. cans chicken broth
1 14-oz. can unsweetened coconut milk
1 2-inch piece fresh lemon grass (I didn't use this)
2 tsp. grated fresh ginger (optional, I DID use this)
1/4 tsp. white pepper (I just used regular)
1/8 tsp. salt

In a large pot cook onion in hot oil over medium heat for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add garlic and curry paste; cook for 3-5 minutes more or until onion is tender, stirring occasionally. Add sweet potatoes, chicken broth, coconut milk, lemon grass, and ginger; bring to boiling. Reduce heat. Simmer, covered, for 10-15 minutes or until sweet potatoes are tender. Cool slightly. Discard lemon grass.

In small batches, place mixture in a blender or food processor bowl. Cover; blend until smooth. (I use my wand mixer for this) Return pureed mixture to pot. Add pepper and salt; heat through. You can puree all the soup or leave some of it chunky. I don't like chunks, so I pureed the whole thing. To add a little extra flavor, I threw in a dash of turmeric, and served the soup with a garnish of grated coconut. And Aaron put some mini-marshmallows on the top of his. It was fantastic!!