Matsutake Ramen for Camp
Foraged matsutake, a strong dried broth, and ramen noodles in one pot.
- calories
- 430
- weight
- 4.5 oz
- cal / oz
- 96
- protein
- 13 g
- serves
- 2, scales
- prep
- 10 min
- cook
- 15 min
- total time
- 25 min
- water
- 700 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
- Campfire coals
- Backpacking
- Car camping
- Basecamp
- Vegetarian
- Dairy free
- Nut free
- One pot
- Dehydrate ahead
- Shelf stable
- Basic
Ingredients
| Dried matsutake mushrooms | 1 oz | sliced 1/4 inch thick before drying; peel gritty stems first |
|---|---|---|
| Matsutake peelings and trim, dried | 1/2 oz | the scrap carries most of the smell, so keep it |
| Instant dashi or vegetable bouillon powder | 2 tsp | kombu dashi keeps it vegetarian |
| Ramen noodles | 2 blocks | discard the seasoning packets, the broth is the point |
| Cooking oil | 2 tbsp | a neutral oil in a dropper bottle |
| Salt | to taste | |
| Dried green onion | 1 tbsp | |
| Sesame seeds and chili oil | 1 tsp each | optional garnish |
Method
- Put the dried trim and the bouillon powder in the pot with 700 ml of water. Bring it up and hold a low simmer for 10 minutes.
- Fish the trim out and press it against the side of the pot with a spoon. Grit settles, so pour carefully off the bottom if you can spare a second vessel. Otherwise leave the last inch alone when you eat.
- Add the sliced dried mushrooms and simmer 3 minutes until they soften.
- Drop in the noodles and cook 2 to 3 minutes, no longer.
- Kill the heat, stir in the oil, salt to taste, and scatter the green onion, sesame, and chili oil over the top.
Matsutake are expensive and the smell is the whole reason to carry them, so nothing here competes with it. The trick from the restaurant version survives the trip intact: the peelings you would throw away make a broth stronger than the sliced caps do. Dry both at home, carry them together, and you get a pot of broth out of scrap.
Dehydrating solves the field problems too. Fresh matsutake bruise in a pack and the stems arrive full of grit. Sliced and dried, they weigh almost nothing and rehydrate in the same three minutes the noodles need. The oil goes in off the heat because heat and time are what strip the aroma out.
Packing
Dried mushrooms, trim, and bouillon in one small bag. Noodles ride separately so they do not crush into powder. Oil in a leakproof bottle.
Variations
- A foil packet of chicken or a shelf-stable pork belly pouch turns this into a full dinner.
- Freeze-dried egg or a shelf-stable tofu pouch adds protein without a cooler.
- Miso paste in a squeeze tube in place of half the bouillon.
https://foragerchef.com/matsutake-ramen