Thai Sweet Potato and Chicken Soup

This soup is relatively new to me I have only made it a couple of times, tried a recipe for it the first time, and as usual, the recipe was wrong, so here is my version of this warm and cosy soup.

Thai Sweet Potatoe and Chicken Soup

3 chicken drumsticks
4 cups water
2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

In a medium sauce pan, bring chicken, water and seasoning to boil, reduce heat and let simmer until chicken is tender. Remove chicken to a plate to cool, reserve chicken stock for the following:

2 tablespoons oil
2 inch piece of ginger, peeled and coarsley chopped
4 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
4-5 stalks/roots of cilantro chopped
1-2 small baby red/yellow sweet peppers, de seeded and chopped
1/2 tablespoon coriander seeds, ground to powder
1/4 tablespoon cumin seeds ground to powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
Zest of two limes
3 tablespoons fish sauce
1/2 stalk lemon grass, bruised or 2 tablespoons lemon juice
4 teaspoons more or less Thai brand red chilli pepper paste from the jar

1 tablespoon or so sambal oelek optional
4 medium sweet potatoes, peeled chopped
3 cups reserved chicken stock
1-400 ml can Thai brand coconut milk
1-160 ml can Thai brand coconut milk
Heat the oil in a stock pot, (big enough to hold at least 12 cups), when oil is hot, reduce heat slightly, then add ginger, garlic, cilantro roots, sweet peppers, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, lemon grass, or lemon juice, salt and pepper, cook and stir, until you can smell the spices, then add the lime zest, fish sauce, and red chili paste, stir well, then add the sweet potatoes, stir to coat the sweet potatoes, then add the chicken stock, coconut milk, taste for salt and pepper, add a bit more if necessary, cook the mixture until the potatoes are tender, taste for "heat" add sambal oelek if you like more "heat", simmer for a couple more minutes, then using your hand blender blend this mixture until smooth, (or use the regular blender, remember to hold a tea towel over the lid because mixture is very hot and may explode).

Chicken cut from three drumsticks, skin discarded, chopped
Juice from 1 lime
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1-1/2 tablespoon sugar
Few leaves cilantro
Return soup to stock pot if you used a regular blender, stir in the chopped chicken, the lime juice, sugar and the final tablespoon of fish sauce, stir well, simmer to blend the last ingredients, taste, adjust seasoning, (more salt, pepper, sugar or lime), serve with a couple of cilantro leaves as garnish with a quartered lime on the side to squeeze into soup (at the diners discretion). This soup takes 1-1/2 hours to prepare from beginning to end, one of those quick meals to go to during the week. Enjoy with a few spring rolls, or Chinese dumplings as you prefer.