camp meals

Shrimp Ramen with Dried Vegetables

Shrimp-flavor ramen, a can of shrimp, and a handful of dried vegetables. Built entirely from supermarket aisles.

calories
620
weight
6 oz
cal / oz
103
protein
30 g
serves
1, scales
prep
2 min
cook
8 min
total time
10 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
  • Liquid fuel
  • Backpacking
  • Canoe / raft
  • Car camping
  • Basecamp
  • Dairy free
  • Nut free
  • One pot
  • Pre-mix at home
  • Shelf stable
  • Dump and stir

Ingredients

Instant ramen, shrimp flavor 1 block seasoning packet included
Canned or pouched shrimp 4 oz drained pouch if you can find it, no can to pack out
Dried mixed vegetables 1/3 cup peas, carrots, corn; freeze-dried or home-dehydrated
Onion flakes 2 tsp
Soy sauce 1 tsp in a dropper bottle
Sesame oil 1 tsp
Red pepper flakes a pinch

Method

  1. Put the dried vegetables and onion flakes in the pot with 500 ml of water. Bring it to a boil.
  2. Once it boils, let the vegetables run for three minutes before anything else goes in. They need the head start.
  3. Add the ramen block. Two minutes, breaking it apart with the spoon.
  4. Cut the heat. Stir in the seasoning packet, the shrimp, the soy sauce, the sesame oil, and the pepper flakes.
  5. Lid on for a minute. The shrimp only needs to warm through; boiling it turns it to rubber.

This is a grocery-store dinner, not a freeze-dried one. Every part of it comes off a normal shelf: instant noodles from the center aisle, shrimp from the canned fish section, dried vegetables from wherever your store hides them. Nothing needs a cooler.

The order matters more than the ingredients. Dried vegetables rehydrate slowly and noodles cook fast, so the vegetables go in first and get their own boiling time. Shrimp goes in last, off the heat, because it is already cooked and more heat only makes it tough. The onion flakes and sesame oil are doing the work the seasoning packet cannot, which is making it taste like it was cooked rather than reconstituted.

Packing

Ramen block, seasoning packet, dried vegetables, onion flakes, and pepper flakes all go in one freezer bag. Shrimp and the two oils ride separately. If you carry the can, you carry the empty can back out.

Variations

  • Canned chicken or a tuna pouch works the same way and is easier to find.
  • A spoonful of powdered coconut milk and a little curry powder turns it into a thin curry noodle bowl.
  • Dried mushrooms in place of half the vegetables give it more depth for the same weight.

https://www.canoetripping.net/threads/supermarket-shopping-for-camp-foods.15470