camp meals

Oats Khichdi With Dried Vegetables

Savory oats with Indian spices and a vegetable mix that rehydrates in the same pot.

calories
520
weight
3.8 oz
cal / oz
137
protein
14 g
serves
1, scales
prep
2 min
cook
8 min
total time
10 min
water
400 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
  • Breakfast
  • Canister stove
  • Alcohol / Esbit
  • Liquid fuel
  • Backpacking
  • Bikepacking
  • Basecamp
  • Car camping
  • Vegetarian
  • Vegan
  • Dairy free
  • Nut free
  • One pot
  • Pre-mix at home
  • Shelf stable
  • Dump and stir

Ingredients

Rolled oats 3/4 cup quick oats work, steel cut do not
Freeze-dried mixed vegetables 1/2 cup peas, carrot, green beans, cabbage
Dried minced onion 1 tbsp
Tomato powder 1 tbsp or a crushed sun-dried tomato
Garlic and ginger powder 1 tsp total
Ground cinnamon 1/8 tsp more than this and it tastes like dessert
Chili flakes 1/4 tsp stands in for fresh green chilli
Salt 1/2 tsp
Oil 1 tbsp dropper bottle
Lemon juice powder or a citric acid pinch 1/2 tsp
Dried coriander leaf 1 tsp

Method

  1. Boil 400 ml of water. Stir in everything except the oil, lemon powder, and coriander.
  2. Let it sit off the heat for three minutes so the vegetables and onion take on water first.
  3. Return to a low flame, add the oats, and stir for two minutes until it thickens.
  4. Kill the heat. Pour in the oil, then the lemon powder and coriander. Stir and let it stand a minute.
  5. If it stiffens too much, add a splash of hot water. It thickens as it cools either way.

Khichdi is normally rice and lentils simmered soft. Oats get there in a fraction of the fuel, which is the whole reason to carry this version. The order matters more than the recipe does: vegetables and onion need the full soak, oats need about two minutes, and putting them in together leaves you with crunchy carrot in porridge.

Everything fresh in the original became a powder. Tomato powder and dried onion carry the base, chili flakes replace the green chilli, and lemon juice powder does the job of the squeeze at the end. Add the oil off the heat so it stays on top of the grain instead of cooking away.

Packing

All the dry ingredients go into one bag at home, oats included. Oil and lemon powder ride separately so the mix stays dry.

Variations

  • A packet of dried lentils or a tablespoon of soy protein crumble pushes protein past 20 g.
  • Swap the cinnamon and chili for a teaspoon of curry powder if you already carry it.
  • Cold soak it: same bag, cold water, ninety minutes. The vegetables stay firm.

https://www.awesomecuisine.com/recipes/16995/oats-khichdi