Saag with Tofu

Here is a backpacking version of the classic Indian dish, Saag Paneer. In this version I replaced the paneer with tofu, but if you have brought a white cheese into the backcountry, using that instead of tofu would be a great option as well. The Mexican cheese, queso fresco, is a great replacement for paneer. Making a backpacking version of saag was surprisingly easy. Far easier than making its indoor counterpart. I bought the freeze dried spinach and tomato chunks that I used in this recipe from www.packitgourmet.com. I used Klim brand whole milk powder. (On previous recipes I have used either Kilm or Nido whole milk powder.) Dried tofu is available in most asian grocery stores. This dish really turned out great. I served it with basmati rice, which I made separately.

the tofu:

1/4    cup      water

1/4    tsp      curry powder

2-3    pinches  salt (I used 1/8 tsp and it was a little too salty.)

1      slice    dried tofu

2      tsp      oil

the saag:

1      package  freeze dried spinach (.5 oz or just under 1 & 1/2 cups)

1/3    cup      freeze dried tomato chunks

1/4    cup      powdered whole milk

1/4    tsp      cumin

1/4    tsp      coriander

1/4    tsp      turmeric

1/4    tsp      ginger powder

1/8    tsp      cayenne

1/8    tsp      garlic powder

1 1/2  TB       oil

Mix together the curry powder, salt and water. Add in the tofu and let it soak up all of the liquid.

While the tofu is rehydrating put the spinach into a bowl.

Add in the tomato chunks and whole milk power.

Add in the water, mix it all together and let the spinach and tomatoes rehydrate for 10-15 minutes.

Back to the tofu. Heat the 2 tsp of oil on medium heat. Add the tofu.

Fry on all sides till it is browned and crispy.

You can even fry it on its small sides.

Chop the fried tofu up and set it aside for later.

Heat up the 1 & 1/2 TB of oil, add all the spices at once and fry them briefly on medium low heat.  Don't let them burn!

Add in the rehydrated spinach, tomatoes and milk.

Stir the saag up, break up any clumps of spinach that did not fully rehydrate with your spatula and distribute the saag evenly across the pan.

Cover and cook on medium low heat for 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Uncover and add the tofu.

Stir together. Cover and cook for 2-3 more minutes allowing the tofu to soak up some of the liquid.

Serve over basmati rice, on bread or by itself.

Enjoy!

Serves 1-2 with the rice.

Migas

Migas in one of my favorite dishes to cook. It is a Tex-Mex version of scrambled eggs. The only essential ingredient, besides eggs, is tortilla chips that are crushed into the egg mix before cooking. The other ingredients can be improvised with what you have on hand. Typical ingredients are bell pepper, onion, tomato, and jalapeños or other hot peppers. It is common to add in cheese and milk as well.  Cumin, coriander and ground dried chiles work well either  carefully fried in the oil before or stirred directly into the egg mix.  I often take leftover Mexican food (be it enchiladas, tacos, tamales, rice or beans) and add it right in. Salsa, pepper sauces or guacamole work great mixed into the eggs or added on top when the dish is finished.  Almost any kind of meat added in works well too.  So take the following as a guide and feel free to improvise.  In the backcountry this could be adding a little dried refried bean mix, some cheese, sausage or whatever you have on hard that sounds tasty.


Though I've used powdered eggs in dishes like quiche and pancakes, this was my first experiment where the powdered eggs were the primary ingredient. I was pleasantly surprized with how well they turned out.  Wrapped in a warm flour tortillas, migas makes delicious breakfast tacos.

6    TB    Powdered Eggs
1/4  tsp   Tomato Powder
1/4  tsp   Chile Powder
2    tsp   Powdered Whole Milk
3    TB    Freeze Dried Tomato Chunks
2    TB    Freeze Dried Green Bell Pepper Dices
3/4  cup   Water
1    dash  Salt


8-12       Corn Chips or 2-3 Tostadas
1    TB    Oil
           Pepper Sauce or Hot Sauce


Add all on the ingredients except the chips, oil and hot sauce into a bowl and mix together. If you'd like to add a little hot sauce directly into the egg mix go for it. I added it at the end.

Light up the stove, add the oil to the pan and begin heating the oil. As the oil is heating up break up the chips and add them to the egg mix.  If you add them earlier they can loose all their texture and become mush while you are cooking them.

Stir up the egg mix.

When the oil is hot pour the egg mix into the pan. Let the migas cook without stirring for a moment then scramble them all around.

Continue this process, back and forth, of letting the migas sit and cook and then scrambling them. 

The finished dish has a crumbly texture. The eggs are still a little moist, but a good amount of the liquid has been cooked out.

Top with pepper sauce.

Enjoy!


Serves 1.