WHEN you eat burnt rice at camp, everything you eat with it will have that unmistakable charred flavour.
When you eat burnt rice at camp, everything you eat with it will have that unmistakable charred flavour.
On the flip side, if your cooking goes wrong, you may end up with soggy clumps that resemble neither rice nor porridge.
These issues are rare at home but it can feel like a gamble when cooking over a campfire stove.
Yet, rice remains the ideal carbohydrate for camping. Unlike dried noodles, it packs tightly and is resilient to crushing.
Step 2: Always rinse your rice first, changing the water until it is clear.
Best of all, rice is a camper’s friend because it’s the least likely starch to cause bloating – something you definitely don’t want in the wilderness.
To ensure success with rice at camp, the first rule of thumb is two parts water to one part rice.
At home, your smart cooker typically uses a 1:1 water-to-rice ratio, but over a fire, the game changes.
This ratio is volumetric, so you’ll need a measuring cup with millilitre markings.
Step 3: Get it to a frothy boil over a large flame before simmering it for 10 minutes over a small flame.
For one person, 150ml of rice is usually sufficient, meaning you’ll need 300ml of water. However, if you’re cooking basmati or Thai jasmine rice, reduce the water to 1.5 parts for every part of rice.
The challenge of campfire cooking is managing moisture. Without enough, your rice will burn at the bottom of the pot.Pay close attention to the fire’s intensity, especially during the final simmering stage.
Before you start, rinse the rice thoroughly until the water runs clear to remove excess starch. If there’s a clean river nearby, feel free to use its water, as the boiling process will kill any bacteria.
To begin, use a strong fire to bring the rice and water to a frothy boil. Then reduce the flame to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes.
Step 4: If the lid of your pot is too flimsy and the rice starts bubbling over while simmering, put a stone on the lid to keep it down.
After turning off the heat, leave the pot covered for five minutes.
Some camp pot lids are flimsy and too much bubbling over can occur during simmering (a little is normal).
If this happens, place a stone on the lid to hold it down.
Step 5: Pearly white rice at camp is delicious and a great source of energy while you are having fun.
If you used too much water or the fire wasn’t hot enough, you may end up with soggy rice.
To fix this, put the pot back on the heat at a low flame for an extra two minutes to let any excess moisture evaporate.
Non-stick pots can help to reduce the risk of burnt rice, but if you still get that stubborn layer stuck to the bottom, pour in some white vinegar and baking soda. Let it sit for a few minutes and the burnt rice will lift out easily.
Cooking rice over an open wood fire adds another layer of difficulty. If that’s your only option, move the pot to the side of the fire once the rice starts boiling to allow it to simmer more gently.
