Paneer Scramble
Spiced cottage cheese with tomatoes and onions. Breakfast or dinner, depending on hunger.
- calories
- 450
- weight
- 2.8 oz
- cal / oz
- 161
- protein
- 20 g
- serves
- 1, scales
- prep
- 2 min
- cook
- 5 min
- total time
- 7 min
- water
- 200 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.
- Breakfast
- Dinner
- Canister stove
- Alcohol / Esbit
- Backpacking
- Thru-hike
- Car camping
- Vegetarian
- One pot
- Pre-mix at home
- Shelf stable
- Dump and stir
Ingredients
| Paneer powder | 1/3 cup | dehydrated paneer crumbles work too |
|---|---|---|
| Dehydrated tomato | 2 tbsp | ground into small pieces |
| Dehydrated onion | 1.5 tbsp | |
| Ghee powder or ghee | 1 tbsp | |
| Garlic powder | 1/2 tsp | |
| Ginger powder | 1/4 tsp | |
| Green chili powder | 1/4 tsp | adjust to your heat tolerance |
| Coriander | 1/4 tsp | |
| Cumin | 1/4 tsp | |
| Turmeric | 1/8 tsp | |
| Salt | 1/2 tsp |
Method
- Bring 200 ml of water to a boil in your pot.
- Remove from heat and dump in all ingredients. Stir well.
- Let it sit for three minutes. The powder will absorb the water and thicken.
- Stir once more and eat. Add more water if it is too thick; wait another minute if too thin.
Paneer is high-protein and dehydrated paneer stays shelf-stable without refrigeration, making it ideal for the trail. The spice blend balances warmth with flavor—the heat from the chili powder is noticeable but not overwhelming, and easily adjusted to your tolerance. This works on a canister stove or alcohol burner in five minutes flat.
Individual flavors still come through even though everything is powdered: the tomato tartness, the onion sweetness, the spice complexity. The ghee ties it all together and carries enough fat to make it satisfying as a complete meal or a substantial breakfast.
Packing
Mix all dry ingredients at home into a single quart freezer bag. At camp, add boiling water and walk away for three minutes.
Variations
- Serve over instant rice to soak up the sauce and cool the spice heat.
- A splash of vinegar or lemon juice brightens the tomato flavor.
https://trailcooking.com/2026/08/17/food-find-good-detour-meals