Backcountry cuisine Dehydrated Thai red curry a hit Homemade
By: Eva Wasney Posted: 5:09 PM CDT Tuesday, Jul. 11, 2023

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 11/07/2023 (1150 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

For Getty Stewart, 54, good food is as important as a good pair of hiking boots while backcountry camping.

“I definitely like to eat well,” says the professional home economist. “I think it’s important to nourish yourself while on the trail and protein bars just wouldn’t do it for me, mentally.”

Stewart, who splits her time between Winnipeg and Kenora, Ont., has been camping off-grid for more than 30 years. She got engaged during a backcountry canoe trip and takes part in an annual camping adventure with her siblings, including out-of-province excursions to national hiking trails on the east and west coasts.

Exploring the outdoors has been a humbling education in self-sufficiency.

“Having to take care of yourself and the others around you and figuring out how to have fun along the way,” Stewart says of her favourite things about backcountry camping.

“And then being hit by a storm and realizing, ‘Oh yeah, I’m not in charge; there’s bigger forces at play.’”

Self-sufficiency has been a running theme throughout her career.

Stewart grew up on a mixed farm near Wawanesa, about 200 kilometres west of Winnipeg. An education and human ecology graduate from the University of Manitoba, she’s built a business on teaching the public about seasonal scratch cooking and how to make the most of foraged and homegrown foods.

Every month, she releases a seasonal meal plan and has published six themed cookbooks to date, including a Guide to Homemade Backcountry Meals in 2022.

“That was really a passion project that combined dehydrating with my love of backcountry travel. I created lots of meals for my own pleasure and then people started saying, ‘Hey, you should put that in a book,’” Stewart says.

The 50-page guide — which is available as a $25 e-book — includes trail-tested recipes, meal plans, dehydrating basics and storage and rehydrating tips, as well as packing lists.

Stewart’s goal when preparing food for a backcountry meal is to create a lightweight menu that requires a minimal amount of cooking to save on fuel. A typical day on the trail will include a warm breakfast, a cold lunch and a substantial dinner, plus snacks.

It’s functional food that doesn’t sacrifice taste.

“I’ve thought through the combination of carbs and proteins and fats so that your muscles get a chance to recoup and regain what they need. I like a good combination of macronutrients and then I just add flavour and fruits and veg wherever I can,” she says.

One of her favourite dishes to make is dehydrated Thai red curry.

“It does draw the envy of other campers,” she says. “When we were on the West Coast Trail with my siblings, there were definitely some eyeballs on our cooking pot from others who were having pre-packaged, from-the-store dehydrated meals.”

The recipe was born out of a successful curry-paste drying experiment. The key to dehydrating sauces and other dishes is to make or buy oil-free versions, since fats don’t evaporate and can cause a meal to go rancid, Stewart says.

She also recommends boiling and then dehydrating rice and pasta ahead of time to cut down on cooking time in the wilderness. Store-bought bouillon cubes and dried coconut cream powder can add instant flavour to a reconstituted dish.

While it is possible to dry food in an oven, Stewart says an inexpensive countertop dehydrator can save on time and frustration.

“I do spend way more time on prep than others. I really enjoy the process, but if someone’s not that into dehydrating and doesn’t have a stash of dried herbs and fruits and veg and powders they can draw on, I’d recommend starting with dehydrating full meals that you’ve prepped at home,” she says.

While she’s successfully rehydrated homemade chowder, chili and even borscht, not every dish has been a winner. One notable flop was a lemon, tuna and couscous mixture.

“I started adding (herbs) to the package just before I was about to seal it and it turned what was a good thing into a horrible thing,” she says.

Visit gettystewart.com for more cooking tips and to download Stewart’s Guide to Homemade Backcountry Meals.

Thai Red Curry

Submitted by Getty Stewart

125 ml (1/2 cup) dried brown jasmine rice
80 ml (1/3 cup) cashews or dried chicken
80 ml (1/3 cup) dried mixed peppers & green peas
15 ml (1 tbsp) dried green onion
2 dried kaffir lime leaves
15 ml (1 tbsp) dried basil
30 ml (2 tbsp) dried cilantro
60 ml (1/4 cup) coconut cream powder
5 ml (1 tsp) mushroom powder
15 ml (1 tbsp) dried red curry paste powder

At home, dry ingredients according to dehydrator instructions. Write meal name, rehydrating instructions, servings and date on bag before packing. Combine all ingredients in bag and seal well.

At camp, combine curry mix with 250 ml (1 cup) cold water in pot. Let soak for 5 minutes. Bring to boil and cook for 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Let rest for 5 to 10 minutes until tender. Reheat if needed.

Note: Ingredient quantities are for a single serving of curry.

eva.wasney@winnipegfreepress.com

Twitter: @evawasney