Phil Geng

A quick and easy meal that can be easily bulked up or stripped down depending on your appetite and the number of people you're cooking for. Especially suited to a single overnight stay in the wild as all the ingredients can be prepared before setting off without the fuss of chopping and slicing when at camp. For me this has become one of my staple foods when out and about due to its simplicity, taste and ability to fill me right up.

Ingredients (serves 1-2):

• 1/3 Ring of chorizo (small cubes) - choose the spicy version if you fancy the added heat
• 1 Small red onion (chopped)
• 1 Pepper (chopped)
• 50ml water
• 100ml - 150ml cajun sauce (personally I prefer Newman's, but you'd want something to transport the sauce in as the glass jar is not ideal for camping)
• 1 Pack of Uncle Bens Golden Vegetable (other rice works as well, but this is my favourite for the dish)

Preparation

1. Heat a pan with water and the Uncle Bens pack (still sealed) inside. A few minutes will do just to heat up the rice a bit.
2. Put the pack to the side and do something with the water - Soup, Tea etc., you name it.
3. Heat a pan (save weight by using the same one) on a relatively low heat (this is the only tricky part when using camping stoves)
4. Add the chorizo and wait until the oils start to gently coat the bottom of the pan (you'll hear a sizzling sound before this happens)
5. Throw in the onion and gently turn up the heat a notch (not too far), then fry for a minute or two
6. Add the pepper and water, then cover and let simmer for a while. Stir occasionally.
7. Add the sauce and stir the mixture for a few minutes.
8. Add the rice and continue stirring for another few minutes until the food is piping hot. You might have to up the heat a bit for this, but be careful as camping stoves will quickly turn from a slight simmer to a full on volcano.

While not necessarily a culinary highlight or worthy of a Michelin star the dish is filling, warming and tasty. Since all the ingredients can be prepared beforehand and carried to camp in ziplock bags the camp side preparations are minimal compared to some more elaborate camping foods. If nothing else this dish makes a nice change from ration packs and ready made meals while also providing the energy to keep yourself warm during the night.