Today I started production of a new batch for this summer's hiking trips. I have made my own trekking food before twice, with varying results. Sometimes very good, othertimes not so good. So now I want to use these experiences to male this batch good again.
My goal is to have bags with double portions (me and DH) to which we can add boiling water, wait for 15 minutes, and eat it. We have selfmade a "cosy" for the cooking pan, in which we can keep the food warm. We can also take the pan out and put on the stove if the food gets too cold.
From my previous experiences:
- no egg plant. It will become bitter, with or without the skin.
- no meat frying in the drying machine. I will do like the first time: precook in frying pan on very low heat. Then dry on low temperature.
- all vegetables need precooking, or steaming.
- chunks of vegetable don't become soft. So carrots need to be grated instead of chopped.
My plan is to make the following dishes:
- reindeer stew
- chicken curry, with turkey instead of chicken
- pasta with tomatosaus
- kale with mashed potatoes and minced meat
- fu yong hai with omelet
- broccoli/kale with spices, to go with self caught fish (to be caught on trip)
- cod stew (fish to be caught on trip)
- nasi ramas with turkey
- minced meat with some nice spices (to be defined)
For basic material, I just use what is available of very short cooked rice, pasta or couscous.
Also for brown sauce, I buy a sachet of commercial sauce. But tomato sauce, I made myself.
For meats, I have bought reindeer meat in thin slices, turkey bread topping in thin slices and minced meat with 5% fat.
Currently I have steamed broccoli in tiny pieces in the drying machine, on sheets. On another sheet, the green parts of spring union, which I got for free by putting the white parts of a bunch of spring union in a glass of water. I also have steamed chilipepper in the dryer.
Two racks of steamed mushrooms are standing in the sun to dry, because I want the rest of the veggies in the machine to dry sooner, without the wet mushrooms.
I have steamed lots of red pepper and a few squash, as well as very finely cut kale. After this, I will do the carrots and the turkey slices, after that the minced meat.