This weekend I sat down to figure out what I wanted to order from amazon.com before they started charging sales tax in California. I decided to stock up on one of my secret backcountry food secrets: Coconut Milk Powder. Note: yes it’s an affiliate link, but I only link to awesome things, so there.
I love spicy food when I’m backpacking, and thai curry always hits the spot. It’s never as good as curry cooked with real coconut milk, but it’s a worthy substitute. So, what’s my recipe?
Prep at home:

• Coconut milk powder in a ziploc bag (of desired amount – that’s the beauty of homemade backpacking food!)
• Freeze dried chicken *or* canned/pouched chicken (heavier but easier)
• A small bag with a Tablespoon or so of your favorite thai curry paste.
• Miscellaneous dehydrated or freeze dried vegetables (available at REI, whole  foods, or through several outdoor food brands)
• Instant rice

Now, depending on the quantity of dehydrated vs fresh ingredients your water needs will vary. But in general, what I do in camp is boil the correct amount of water and mix in the coconut milk powder and curry paste, followed by the chicken and veggies. I usually cook the rice in a separate bag. Pour the curry mix on top of the rice and YUM. The only thing it’s really lacking is fish sauce, something I haven’t figured out how to replicate in the backcountry. Adding salt to the curry will make up for the saltiness that the fish sauce provides. It will be runnier than regular curry (unless you use low fat coconut milk, yuck), but still taste pretty darn good. If you don’t mind the extra weight, some fresh veggies will make it even awesomer.