Thai Curry Vegetable Soup - cooking recipe

Ingredients

2 tablespoons cooking oil (neutral, e.g., vegetable, canola, peanut, etc.)
2 garlic cloves
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
2 tablespoons Thai red curry paste
1 small sweet potato (about 1 lb.)
1 bunch baby bok choy (could substitute Napa cabbage)
4 cups vegetable broth (or chicken)
13 ounces coconut milk
1/2 tablespoon fish sauce
1/2 tablespoon brown sugar
3 1/2 ounces rice vermicelli
1/2 red onion
1 lime (for garnish)
handful fresh cilantro (for garnish)
sriracha sauce, to taste (for garnish)

Preparation

Prepare the vegetables for the soup and garnishes first, so they're ready to go when needed. Mince the garlic and grate the ginger using a small-holed cheese grater. Peel and dice the sweet potato into one-inch cubes. Wash the bok choy well, then chop into one-inch strips, separating the fibrous stalks from the delicate green ends. Thinly slice the red onion and roughly chop the cilantro.
Add the cooking oil to a large soup pot along with the minced garlic, grated ginger, and Thai red curry paste. Saute the garlic, ginger, and curry paste over medium heat for 1-2 minutes.
Add the diced sweet potato and chopped bok choy stalks to the pot (save the leafy green ends for later) along with the chicken or vegetable broth. Bring the pot to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to low and let simmer for 5-7 minutes, or until the sweet potatoes are tender.
While the soup is simmering, bring a small pot of water to a boil for the vermicelli. Once boiling, add the vermicelli and boil for 2-3 minutes, or just until tender. Drain the rice noodles in a colander and set aside.
Once the sweet potatoes are tender, add the coconut milk, fish sauce, and brown sugar to the soup. Stir, taste, and adjust the fish sauce or brown sugar if needed. Finally, add the bok choy greens and let them wilt in the hot soup.
To serve, divide the rice vermicelli among four bowls. Ladle the soup and vegetables over the noodles, then top with red onion, cilantro, a wedge or two of lime, and a drizzle of sriracha.