Thanks for purchasing one of my dehydrated meals! Here’s how to prepare them:
How to rehydrate your dehydrated meals in 3 easy steps
1. Add water. Place your dehydrated meal in a pot or heatproof container. Cover with water — just enough to fully submerge the food (start with a 1:1 ratio by volume – you can always add more later).
2. Bring to a boil. Heat the mixture until it comes to a boil, then simmer gently until the water is full absorbed – note: dishes that contain larger vegetables or pulses like chickpeas may take 5 or 10 minutes to fully rehydrate (see fuel saving tip below).
3. Add more water if desired – some soups or dals benefit from extra water; add enough to suit your desired consistency.
4. (Optional): Serve your dehydrated food with delicious extras! I like to pair my dehydrated food with something fresh to keep it interesting. Mix in fresh spinach or kale. Top with yoghurt, pickles, and chutney. Fresh chilli, lemon, herbs. The sky is the limit! (Well, your pack weight is probably the limit, but I think it’s worth carrying a few extra grams to make that post-hike meal all the more rewarding.)
Fuel saving tips
- During step (2), once the water has boiled, turn off the heat and cover. Let sit for 10–20 minutes (or longer). Rewarm on your camp stove when your ready and proceed to step (3). Enjoy!
- A pot cozy or insulated food jar helps retain heat and speeds up rehydration.
- You can also “cold soak” your food, which many through hikers do (though it will add weight to your pack!). At the start of the day, put your dehydrated food in a wide mouth bottle (like a Nalgene). Your food will rehydrate throughout the day, so when you get to camp in the evening, all you have to do his heat it up.