Winter in the Inland Northwest was quite an adjustment for this West side native. The first winter I was here, it snowed right after Thanksgiving and I didn’t see my grass again until April. The temperatures were below zero—I repeat—below zero. On days like those, it’s not enough sitting in front of the fire snuggled in a blanket. That type of cold needs to be warmed from the inside out. Is there a better way to warm up than a good bowl of soup? The red curry spices up this rich coconut broth that is as flavorful as it is easy to make. Cutting out meat or eating healthier for New Years? Simply replace the chicken broth with a vegetable broth and add some tofu. However you make it, it will feel like a nice warm hug, and we all need that once in a while.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon (or to taste depending on your spice level) red curry paste 

• 3 tablespoons coconut oil

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 in piece ginger, peeled and minced

• 1/2 medium onion, thinly sliced

• 1 qt chicken stock

• 1 cup full fat coconut milk

• 2-4 Kaffir lime leaves (2 big or 4 small)

• 1 tablespoon sugar

• 4 green onions, thinly sliced and separated

• 2 bundles of mung bean noodles

• Cilantro for garnish

• 8 oz New York steak, or similar cut

Instructions

1. Season the steak with salt and pepper, then sear in a tablespoon of coconut oil and cook until the steak is rare, or a notch under what you where you like your steak. The meat will finish cooking in the broth once the soup is brought all together. Let the steak rest while you put the broth together.

2. Cook noodles as stated on the package, place them in your serving bowls, and set aside.

For the Broth

1. In a saucepan, heat up 1 teaspoon coconut oil. 

2. Add onion and cook until tender and translucent. Remove from the pan. 

3. Add remainder of coconut oil, ginger, and curry paste. Toast until the paste has gone from a red color to a dark cherry color. 

4. Add garlic and lime leaves and cook until fragrant. If you can’t find Kaffir lime leaves, you can substitute 1 teaspoon of lime zest and juice of half of a lime.

5. Add chicken stock, coconut milk, cooked onions, the whites of the green onions, and sugar.

6. Bring broth to a simmer and cook for ten minutes. Taste the broth at this point—if it’s too spicy add more sugar; if it needs salt, add salt. If you didn’t use lime leaves but it needs acid, add another squeeze of lime.

7. To Finish: Pull out the lime leaves  and divide the broth into your bowls over the noodles, thinly slice your steak place over the noodles and garnish with cilantro and the greens of the green onions.