Curry Ramen with Freeze-Dried Chicken
Cold-soaked ramen curry with freeze-dried chicken and vegetables. Built to conserve fuel.
- calories
- 450
- weight
- 3.5 oz
- cal / oz
- 129
- protein
- 20 g
- serves
- 1, scales
- prep
- 1 min
- cook
- 12 min
- total time
- 13 min
- water
- 500 ml boiled
- cost
- $
Calorie and protein figures are my own estimates, good enough for planning a food bag and not meant as precise nutrition data.
- Dinner
- Canister stove
- Alcohol / Esbit
- Backpacking
- Thru-hike
- One pot
- Pre-mix at home
- Shelf stable
- Dump and stir
Ingredients
| Instant ramen noodles | 1 package | discard the seasoning packet |
|---|---|---|
| Freeze-dried chicken | 1/3 cup | |
| Dehydrated vegetable mix | 1/4 cup | |
| Curry powder | 1 tbsp | |
| Salt | 1.5 tsp | |
| Black pepper | 1.5 tsp | |
| Olive oil | 1-2 packets | optional but worth the weight for richness |
Method
- At home, combine the ramen block (broken into pieces), freeze-dried chicken, dehydrated vegetables, curry powder, salt, and pepper in a resealable bag.
- At camp, add all ingredients except the olive oil to your pot with 500 ml of cold water.
- Let sit for ten minutes without heat. The noodles and chicken will soften as they rehydrate.
- Bring to a boil and stir for one minute, then remove from heat.
- Let sit for another ten minutes. The residual heat will finish cooking everything.
- Stir in the olive oil if using, and eat.
The cold soak saves fuel. Ten minutes in water softens the noodles and rehydrates the chicken before you ever strike a match, so you only need two minutes of actual boiling. When you carry fuel in ounces, this matters.
Curry powder replaces the flavor packet. Freeze-dried chicken and vegetables do the real work—they’re calorie-dense and they rehydrate reliably in cold water. The olive oil is essential: without it you have seasoned noodles; with it you have dinner.
Packing
Mix the dry ingredients into a single quart-size freezer bag at home. Carry olive oil packets separately. Nothing requires measuring at camp—just dump and sit.
Variations
- Add a pinch of ginger powder or dried chilies if you want more heat.
- Double the water for a soup instead of a stew.
- Substitute the curry powder for smoked paprika or any dry seasoning blend.
https://www.trailgroove.com/blogs/entry/405-ramen-curry-chicken-stew-backpacking-recipe