One page Cookbooks

Cooking with basic equipment

While planning on a All India trip on my motorbike, I started collecting /developing recipes which can be prepared on the road / hotel room / train / while camping or almost anywhere with the most basic equipment. I was thrilled to find out that a thermos flask filled with boiling water is all you need to cook up a complete meal, wherever you are! So these make ideal recipes for those with no kitchen / students living in hostels / travelers.

Cooking in a thermos flask

Almost anything which can be cooked with boiling water on a stove top can be cooked in a thermos flask. A thermos flask in fact behaves like a pot of boiling water. Since it is insulated, the trapped heat is not lost. This retained heat is sufficient to cook many recipes. Though it takes much longer than stove top cooking, the conveniences far outweigh the longer cooking time. It uses 90% less fuel, can be used anywhere, has no odour, no heat and requires no supervision / stirring. Food always comes out edible and there is no chance of over cooking. And best of all, you can have piping hot food, whenever and wherever you want!

Contrary to popular belief, you do not need boiling water to cook most food. Starches, cellulose cook in 65 to 85 degrees. This is why these can be cooked in a thermos.

Tips:
The goal is to retain as much heat inside the thermos as possible. This can be done by the following.

1. Preheat thermos by filling up thermos flask with boiling water. Let stand for 5 minutes. Drain water and fill to top with boiling water.

2. Avoid frequent opening.

 You can get thermos refilled with boiling water at most hotels / tea stalls. Use a wide mouthed Thermos so that you can add / remove foods easily.