I asked ChatGPT for a recipe suitable for rehydrating and this is what I got.
It was one of my favourite meals on my end-to-end Bibbulmun track hike. It rehydrates really well and you can vary the water level to go between soup and stew in terms of consistency. As a soup, I had no problem rehydrating from cold in the pot on my jetboil. That makes it a bit more gas efficient as well as being convenient.
Ingredients
2 cups green or brown lentils, rinsed and drained
1 large onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 medium carrots, peeled and diced
2 stalks celery, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes
1 tbsp tomato paste
2 tbsp olive oil*
8 cups vegetable broth**
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp paprika
Salt and pepper, to taste
(I also add a chopped chilli into the mix)
Steps
Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and sauté until fragrant and softened, about 5 minutes.
Add the carrots, celery, and red bell pepper and cook until the vegetables are slightly tender, about 10 minutes.
Stir in the diced tomatoes and tomato paste, and cook for another 5 minutes.
Add the lentils, vegetable broth, dried thyme, oregano, paprika, salt, and pepper. Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat and let it simmer for about 30 minutes, or until the lentils are tender.
Remove the pot from heat and let the soup cool down.
To dehydrate the soup, ladle it onto a dehydrator tray or onto parchment paper placed on a baking sheet, making sure to spread it out evenly. Dry the soup at 135°F (57°C) for 8-12 hours, or until it’s completely dry and crumbly.
Once the soup is dry, transfer it to an airtight container or ziplock bag, and store it in a cool, dry place.
*If you have a non-stick pot, then I would leave out the oil as it doesn’t dehydrate.
** If you are going to dehydrate then don’t add more liquid than necessary to cover the vegetables. I use a powdered vegetable concentrate and add the amount needed for 8 cups of water. Then I just add enough water. You may need to top it up a little as you go as the lentils will probably soak some up.