If you’re looking for a jazzed-up but easy recipe to start cooking your own meals in the backcountry, then this is it. In this post, we’ll go back to the basics with an easy and classic combination: couscous and lentils.
(How classic you ask? Miranda in the Wild featured this combination in a backcountry cooking video too)
Broadly speaking, there are 5 components to most of the recipes on this blog. We start with a base of carbs and protein, which in this case is couscous and red lentils – both are known for being relatively easy to find and quick to cook up. Then we add flavour, texture and for additional bulk, some form of fat. The last 3 can be changed up to provide tons of variations on this fairly basic combination,
- carbs: couscous
- protein: split red lentils
- flavour: we use a combination of cumin, dried herbs and fresh garlic. Some other suggestions: garlic powder, chili flakes, coriander powder, paprika, bouillon cube, etc.
- texture: both for texture and flavour, we use dried vegetables. This is optional, if you’re happy with the texture of just the couscous and lentils. But if not, some other suggestions are: dried mushrooms, nuts and seeds from your trail mix, dried soy crumbles, etc.
- fats: to add more calories to the dish, we use a combination of olive oil and tahini. Other alternatives: coconut milk powder, coconut oil, almond butter, etc.
Recipe
Serves: 2
Ideal for: Long backcountry trip
Type: Dinner
1 cup (~185g) couscous
0.5 cups dried veggies*
0.5 cups split red lentils**
2-3 tablespoons tahini
2 cloves garlic
½ tablespoon dried mixed herbs***
½ teaspoon powdered cumin
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt and black pepper, to taste
Mainly you need 3 containers,
- Spice mix – we use these small tubs, but you can use any old pill box, or even contact lens cases
- The dried goods – lentils, couscous and dried veggies – can go into a sealable plastic bag
- And finally the olive oil and tahini should go into a liquid-safe container
- The instructions are for preparing the sauce and the couscous separately, but feel free to make it all in one pot. Just make sure the tahini doesn’t clump when you add it. If possible, thinning it out into a sauce consistency before mixing it with the couscous would be the best.
- In the pot, throw in the water and the dried goods and let it come to a boil. Boil for about 5 mins, making sure that it’s not drying out. If the lentils are now at a parboiled stage, take it off the stove and let it cook in the residual heat while you prepare the sauce.
- For the sauce, start by slicing the garlic, and cooking that down with a splash of water. Add the spice mix, take off the heat and add the fats. The tahini needs to thinned out into a pourable consistency, so add a splash of water at a time, while stirring. It will start by becoming pretty thick, but then will loosen and turn lighter. Add the water until you get to your desired sauce consistency.
- To serve, divide the couscous into bowls and top with the sauce, or mix it all into one pot.
- *I used a dehydrated vegetable mix for soups (an example) but you could use soup powder packets (an example) and they would also replace the spices in this recipe.
- **The recipe specifically calls for split red lentils because they cook relatively quickly. Other lentils generally do not, so be careful with substitutions.
- ***You can use any: rosemary, thyme, oregano, basil, etc.
