If you love the bright, sour heat of a Thai tom yum soup, this brothy bowl will hit the spot. It’s fragrant, gently spicy and deeply comforting – the kind of quick midweek dinner that feels restorative rather than heavy.

I love stirring through a handful of watercress or shredded lettuce at the end – not just to use up what’s in the fridge, but for that fresh, peppery lift against the sweet potato and tamarind.

Serves 4 | Ready in 25 minutes

INGREDIENTS

• 1 large red onion, thinly sliced

• 1 tbsp oil or ghee

• 4 fat garlic cloves, finely diced

• 5cm piece of ginger, thinly sliced

• 2 large sweet potatoes chopped into 2cm cubes

• 300g cherry tomatoes

• 2 tbsp tamarind paste

• 1 tbsp tamari

• 1 tbsp fish sauce or extra tamari

• 1.2 litres vegetable stock, bone broth or water

• A pinch of chilli flakes or a chilli

• 300g green beans, topped but not tailed, halved

• 500g fish fillets in 2–3cm chunks

• 300g mix of spring greens, cabbage, pak choy, spinach or watercress, sliced

METHOD

1. Heat the oil or ghee in a large saucepan over a medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 3–4 minutes until softened and translucent.

2. Stir in the garlic and ginger and cook for another minute until fragrant.

3. Add the sweet potato, cherry tomatoes, tamarind paste, tamari, fish sauce, stock and chilli. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Bring to the boil, then reduce to a steady simmer, cover and cook for around 15 minutes, or until the sweet potato is tender when pierced with a knife.

4. Add the green beans and fish pieces, along with any hardier greens such as cabbage or pak choi. Simmer gently for 4–5 minutes until the fish is just opaque and flakes easily — avoid overcooking.

5. Taste and adjust: add a little more tamarind for extra sourness, chilli for heat or tamari for depth.

6. If using softer greens such as spinach or watercress, stir them through at the last minute so they just wilt. Ladle into bowls and serve immediately.