Seriously, let's talk about overlanding spices.

[ontos]

I love to cook all sort of cuisines and when I started camp cooking I found some good advice online and built a spice cupboard in a recipe box. I used alphabetically organized zip top bags for all the spices and filed them in the box like files in a file cabinet. It worked okay. The trouble was having stale spices I rarely used and running out of the stuff I used all the time. Resupplying was a pain.

Lately, I've been using more pre-mixed stuff so I don't have to bring the whole cabinet. Some of the mixes and pastes that I've found really helpful are curry pastes in cans from the Asian grocery, pre-mixed Indian spice mixes in little boxes, and Japanese curry cubes.

We really enjoy one pot cooking, and these are the ingredients that make eating on the road exciting. We like adding protein either from the deep freeze or the grocery, a few vegetables, and some pre-cooked noodles or rice, and we have a really nice one-pot meal.

Does anyone do the same?

We usually shop at our local Asian grocer, but these are the kinds of products we enjoy.

Thai Curry Paste: Buy Maesri Red Curry Paste

Indian Spice Mixes: Robot or human?

Japanese Curry: CURRY GOLDEN MEDIUM HOT 7.8OZ S&BDefault Title

 

[Alanymarce]

We always carry spices and use them routinely.

Best spices we've found so far :

- South Asian mix from Victoria Street Market, Durban
- Chili powder from Shamvura Camp, West Caprivi
- Artisan Aji, Mitú, Vaupés

We carry them in the "cupboard" which is a standard part of the rear door of the Montero.

 

[Kristy2]

All of these are my staples. Oregano, garlic powder, chili powder, Cumin, Cayenne. Salt and pepper I found grinders from Dreamfarm that have back up containers (they stay dry and the salt doesn't cake, and I can grind at different levels). I found on Amazon single packets of concentrated beef and chicken broth (think a bit larger than a ketchup packet). Taco seasoning in the big shake bottle. For hot sauce I carry Siracha because it's so versatile (mexican, asian, or even in my bloody mary's). Chipotle sauce for merinades. Ginger in a tube. Just to build on this, I found these tiny Nalgene bottles that will carry 2 oz, 4oz, 6oz, and 8 oz, and I bring a few small bottles of stuff I like on hand for my dishes, like Sesame oil, or vinegars. If you like cocktails these are also really good for small amounts of liquors, or vermouths or like absinthe or whatever you don't need the whole bottle for.

 

[madcratebuilder]

Google "Coghlan's multi spice", 6 different spices in a single container.

 

[Jibs]

I bought a bamboo silverware holder at Walmart a while back, and the mini spice holders fit perfectly in it. Two Silverware holders fit really well in my Trail-Kitchens chuck box.