For cold weather backpacking, nothing hits the spot quite like a soup. The broth heats up a person from the inside and is welcoming. And if the dish is on the spicy side? Even a little more heat to warm those winter or even early spring nights. Here is a meal that is quick to make, fills the belly and has a bit of heat to keep a person warm during cool weather backpacking trips.

This recipe takes ramen noodles to the next level, and especially hits the spot on cold weather backpacking trips.

The dish uses the old standby of both poor college students and thrifty backpackers: Ramen noodles. But by adding some vegetables and discarding the flavor packet for a spice mixture made at home, the dish really is quite flavorful and is something to look forward to on backcountry adventures.

Ingredients

• 1 package ramen noodles
• 1 pouch chicken (7 oz)
• 2 tablespoons dehydrated coconut milk powder. This item is found at many health food stores or online. Nido powder also makes an acceptable substitute if not quite as flavorful as the coconut milk.
• 3 tablespoons of dehydrated vegetables
• Dehydrate your own -OR-
• Harmony House sells a variety of dehydrated veggies. I like the vegetable soup mix myself with carrots, onions, tomatoes, peas, celery, green bell peppers, green beans, and parsley. It is a wonderful mix useful for many different dishes.
• Curry powder with dashes of salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes to taste preference.
• Want a milder taste? Use 1 tablespoon of the curry powder
• Use 1 ½ tablespoons for a moderately spicy taste
• Like some heat? Use 2 tablespoons and season liberally with more red pepper flakes!
• OPTIONAL: 2-3 stalks of fresh green onions. Green onions pack well and add a delightful flavor for backcountry cuisine.

At Home

Pre-measure the vegetables, milk powder, and curry mix. Place each ingredient in a separate sealable plastic bag. The chicken and ramen noodles are conveniently pre-packaged. If taking green onions, place in a sealable plastic bag as well.

In Camp

• Bring two cups of water to a boil.
• Add ramen noodles. Discard flavor packet.
• When noodles are starting to become tender, add dehydrated vegetables. Stir.
• When the vegetables look to be mainly hydrated, add in curry powder and stir.
• Repeat step with milk powder.
• If desired, add chopped green onions.
• Simmer on low heat and stir.
• Cover pot
• Wait for five to seven minutes.

Enjoy!

TIP: Make the dish with less water for more of a stew. Make the dish with more water to make it even soupier to have a large amount of broth to drink. Adjust the spices accordingly.

Editor's Note: This recipe by contributor Paul Magnanti originally appeared in Issue 21 of TrailGroove Magazine. You can read the original article here.