When winter rolls around, I switch up my snack spread to include more fat and salt, because frozen bars just don’t hit the spot. Sugar and simple carbohydrates undoubtedly are good for performance, but I’ve discovered that they do not satiate my appetite when I’m wallowing nipple deep in snow, trying to reach an ice climb. Fat provides the body with more energy and is harder to digest, thus lasting longer and providing a more sustained energy release. Fat also help to provide a sense of fullness and satisfaction, keeping me from getting hangry. Additionally, I like to salt my food a little extra in the winter to replenish electrolytes and keep bonking at bay. I still throw a sweet bar into my pack, but I always reach for the warm and savory snacks first. This curry recipe is blended and put into ice cube trays so it can be conveniently thrown into an insulted thermos with some boiling water in the morning. I added a potato to this broth for some carbohydrates, but you can exclude it if you’d like a lighter broth. If you are sensitive to spice, try freezing this wonderful bone broth instead.
1 tablespoon coconut oil or olive oil
1 small white onion, chopped
Pinch of salt, more to taste
1 tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger (about a 1-inch nub of ginger)
2 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
1 red bell pepper, sliced into thin 2-inch long strips
1 small russet potato, diced
2 tablespoons red curry paste, I like Mae Ploy
1 can (14 ounces) regular coconut milk
A few splashes of fish sauce
½ cup water
1 lime, juiced
To make the curry, warm a large skillet with deep sides over medium heat. Once it’s hot, add the oil. Add the onion and a sprinkle of salt and cook, stirring often, until the onion has softened and is turning translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the ginger and garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds, while stirring continuously. Add potatoes and cook, covered, for 5 minutes.
Add the bell peppers, coconut milk, water, and fish sauce and stir to combine. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat. Reduce heat as necessary to maintain a gentle simmer and cook until the potatoes are fork-tender, about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Your mixture will be thick.
Remove the pot from the heat and add salt to taste, plus a bit extra because we’re going for a concentrated flavor. Add lime juice. If the curry needs a little more punch, add more red curry paste. Blend the whole mixture with an immersion blender, and pour the paste into an ice cube tray to freeze. Once frozen, put ice cubes in a gallon freezer bag for convenient storage.
To serve, add several frozen broth cubes to a thermos and top with boiling water. I like a flavorful and spicy curry broth, so I add 4 cubes to a 12 oz thermos. I preheat the cubes in the microwave a bit to keep the contents from cooling off too much with that amount of cold cubes. Give the bottle a good shake before drinking.
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