This recipe comes from the book BackPack Gourmet and is my favorite trail meal; this is the one that I have at least once on every trip that I make.
This makes 4 servings, although I like it so much that I divide it into three servings.
Ingredients:
Olive Oil 1 Onion - minced 2 whole Portobello mushrooms - about a pound - minced. You could also use crimini mushrooms which seem to be more available or really any mushroom that you like. 4 cloves garlic - minced (you can never have too much garlic) 1 tablespoon whole wheat flour (any flour will work) 1 tablespoon curry powder 1 15 ounce can of small white beans rinsed and drained 1 cup vegetarian soup stock 2 cups plain yogurt 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes 12 ounces thin spaghetti - broken into thirds (I use whole wheat spaghetti as I feel it is more nutritious and is part of my diabetic diet)
How to make:
- Sauté the onions, mushrooms and garlic in a large skillet for 10 minutes
- Add the flour and curry powder to the skillet and mix in well
- Add the white beans and soup stock and bring to a boil
- Turn off the heat and stir in the yogurt, salt and pepper flackes
- Cook the spaghetti and drain it in a colander
- Mix together the spaghetti and the sauce, blending it together well.
- Spread the mixture on your dehydrator trays. It is liquid enough that you will want some form of solid tray.
- Dehydrate – the original recipe says 6 hours at 145 degrees, in my dehydrator I find that it takes a bit longer then that. When finished it should be very dry and the spaghetti and beans are fairly fragile.
Place serving sized portions in ZipLock bags – I use the Freezer variety to better preserve. I find that the spaghetti when dried can be very sharp and I have had it pock through the bag so be a bit careful. I have double bagged it to be safe.
On the trail, pour the serving into your cook pot and add enough water to cover the food. You need to experiment with this a bit; my meals were a bit watery at first, but still great. I bring the water to a boil, after a couple of minutes the mixture has hydrated enough to be flexible enough to stir. Since I use a Pepsi Can stove it will naturally go out after the curry has cooked a few minutes. I cover the meal and let it set five or so minutes (the smell is so good that I have trouble waiting.)
