One of the greatest joys when the weather is hot outside is going camping. Sleeping under the stars and disconnecting from social media is a great way to bond with your family and enjoy a bit of adventure while you’re at it.
Whether you take the time to go hiking, fishing or even bird watching, there are so many reasons to love camping.
But all of these activities will require some nourishment, so before you tuck yourself into your sleeping bags, check out our ideas of simple, yet satisfying camping recipes.
Chicken breyani
Ingredients
1 pack 5-piece chicken braai pack
3 tbsp vegetable oil
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 onions, sliced
2 tbsp curry powder
2 tsp cumin seeds
1½ cups rice
3 cups chicken stock
Salt and milled pepper
2 tbsp fresh coriander, chopped and extra for serving
½ cup frozen peas, defrosted
2 soft-boiled eggs
Method
Sear chicken in a large frying pan with one tablespoon of oil until golden brown.
Add garlic and ½ the onion and sauté until soft.
Add curry powder and cumin seeds and fry until fragrant.
Stir in rice and sauté for 5 minutes, ensuring the rice is completely coated in spices and oil.
Add stock and cover.
Simmer until all the liquid is absorbed and the rice is cooked for about 20 minutes. Season and stir through coriander and peas.
Fry remaining onion in vegetable oil at medium to low heat until golden brown and crispy.
Drain on kitchen paper.
Serve breyani topped with crispy onion, soft-boiled egg, and extra coriander.
Bacon and mushroom penne
Ingredients
150g bacon, diced
½ red onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic (made into a paste)
250g mushroom, roughly chopped
100ml white wine
250ml cream
400g cooked penne, cooked
50g grated Parmesan cheese
A handful of chopped parsley
Salt and pepper
Method
Bring a pan up to the heat and add the chopped bacon. Allow the fat to render and the bacon to brown slightly. Next, add the onions and garlic, and sauté until golden.
Once golden, add the mushrooms and cook until most of the moisture is out.
Deglaze the pan with the white wine, and cook until the wine has evaporated.
Turn the heat down to medium and add the cream.
Bring the cream up to a slight rumble, then add the cooked pasta and fold it in.
Add the Parmesan cheese and chopped parsley, and fold in evenly.
Recipe by chef Kyle Marshall.
Turkish-spiced fish skewers with yoghurt sauce
Serves: 4
Ingredients
700g boneless halibut or other firm-fleshed fish
Salt and pepper
½ tsp cumin seeds, toasted and coarsely ground
½ tsp coriander seeds, toasted and coarsely ground
½ tsp paprika
Pinch red pepper flakes
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
1 small lemon, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced, plus 1 garlic clove, grated or smashed to a paste
8 bay leaves
½ cup olive oil
1 cup plain yoghurt
Pinch cayenne pepper
1 small cucumber peeled and diced
1 tbsp chopped mint
1 tbsp chopped dill
1 tbsp chopped parsley
Method
Cut halibut into large chunks of equal size and thread on to skewers. You should have four kebabs. Lay them in a shallow dish. Season on both sides with salt and pepper.
In a mixing bowl, put cumin, coriander, paprika, red pepper flakes, onion, lemon, minced garlic, and bay leaves. Add olive oil and stir together. Spoon mixture over fish skewers and leave to marinate for at least 1 hour.
Put yoghurt in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper, then add garlic paste, cayenne, and cucumber. Mix mint, dill, and parsley together, add half to yoghurt mixture, and reserve the rest. Stir to combine. Set aside.
Heat a grill. When hot, cook skewers for about two minutes per side, until just opaque. (Leave some lemon, onion, and bay leaf clinging to the fish, so they char a bit.) Transfer to a serving platter.
Sprinkle with remaining mint, dill, and parsley. Serve yoghurt sauce on the side.
Recipe by chef David Tanis.