For centuries before refrigerators were invented, nomads relied on bulgar, couscous, cultured dairy products, dried fish, fruits, and vegetables. They added fresh ingredients along the way and made quick meals made over crackling campfires.
If you can boil water, you can eat like a king on your next camping, backpacking or RV trip. It may mean some extra slicing and dicing, but it also means fresh-tasting food instead of drab meals made from pricey dry mixes.
Here are some boiled water recipes to try.
Bulgar Salad
2 cups boiling water
1 cup bulgar
2 cucumbers
4 or 5 scallions, sliced (white and light green parts only)
15-ounce can of red or white beans
2 to 3 medium plum tomatoes, diced
1/3 cup red wine vinaigrette or to taste
1 cup broken cashews
Bring water to a boil in a saucepan. Stir in bulgar and cover. Let it stand undisturbed for at least 20 minutes.
To rinse beans, open the can and drain them by holding the lid in place. Add water and drain again. Repeat if you wish. This is the easiest way to rinse beans with minimum water and without using a sieve.
Set beans aside. Peel cucumbers, scrape out the seeds and dice them. Fold cucumbers, scallions, beans and tomatoes into bulgar with vinaigrette to taste. Spoon onto 4 plates and sprinkle each portions with 1/4 cup of cashews.
Alternate plan: Peel, cut and bag vegetables at home and keep them on ice.
More: Hot Dips and Camping Trips: 5 Tasty Recipes to Try
Rice Porridge
This makes a satisfying one-dish meal for breakfast, lunch or supper.
1 1/4 cups boiling water
1 cup instant white or brown rice
4 dried apricot halves, cut up
Heaping teaspoon peanut butter or other nut butter
1/3 cup snipped jerky OR
1/3 cup coarsely chopped nuts
Put rice, apricots and jerky or nuts in a bowl and stir in boiling water. Cover and let steep according to package directions for the rice. Stir in peanut butter. This recipe serves one.
Note: Steeping time for instant brown rice is longer than for white rice.
