Scrap-Box Couscous
Couscous, salami, and whatever dried odds and ends are left in the food bag.
- calories
- 940
- weight
- 7.5 oz
- cal / oz
- 125
- protein
- 32 g
- serves
- 1, scales
- prep
- 2 min
- cook
- 6 min
- total time
- 8 min
- water
- 350 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
- Liquid fuel
- Backpacking
- Canoe / raft
- Bikepacking
- Basecamp
- Nut free
- One pot
- Pre-mix at home
- Shelf stable
- Dump and stir
Ingredients
| Instant couscous | 3/4 cup | the fine grain, not pearl or Israeli |
|---|---|---|
| Hard salami or dry-cured sausage | 2 oz | cut into coins at home |
| Sun-dried tomatoes and dried vegetables | 1/4 cup | whatever the bottom of the bin holds |
| Grated hard cheese | 1/2 oz | parmesan or pecorino, both keep unrefrigerated |
| Olive oil | 1 tbsp | dropper bottle |
| Garlic powder, dried oregano, black pepper, salt | 1 tsp total |
Method
- Boil 350 ml of water. Drop in the dried vegetables and let them sit in the heat for a minute.
- Kill the stove. Pour in the couscous and the spices, stir once, and put the lid on.
- Wait five minutes. Do not lift the lid, do not relight the stove.
- Fluff with the spoon, then fold in the salami, cheese, and oil.
Couscous never actually cooks. It rehydrates, which means one boil and a lid instead of a burning stove and a stirred pot. That is the whole reason it belongs in a pack: fuel spent per calorie delivered is about as low as grains get.
The dried vegetables need a head start in the water or they stay leathery while the grain goes soft. Fat is the other half of the job. Couscous alone is a thin dinner, so the oil, the cured meat, and the cheese are doing the calorie work, and all three sit at ambient temperature for days without complaint.
Packing
Couscous, dried vegetables, and spices go in one bag together. Salami and cheese ride separate so the grease stays out of the dry stuff.
Variations
- A foil packet of tuna in oil replaces the salami and the oil at once.
- Swap the couscous for instant polenta if you want something heavier.
https://www.canoetripping.net/threads/more-heat-sealabletarp-flags.100604