Good To-Go Pad Thai & Vegetable Korma

By Logan

PUBLISHED Aug 11, 2016

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Good To-Go was launched in 2014 when four-star NYC restaurant pioneer, Iron Chef winner, and adventurer Jen Scism decided to package the dehydrated creations she’d been taking on her own backcountry expeditions. As you can find in our initial review, they launched with four gourmet meals including the award winning Thai Curry, a favorite among many intrepid bikepackers. Two years later Good To-Go has expanded their menu to include two more Asian inspired feasts — Pad Thai and Indian Vegetable Korma. We had a chance to try these two new meals during a stout bikepacking trip through Pisgah National Forest; here are our impressions…

Good To-Go Pad Thai

The first time I had really good Pad Thai was in a crusty back alley somewhere in Bangkok. It set me back about 25 cents and was mind blowing. With rice noodles as its backbone, Pad Thai relies on peanut and egg to make a heart-warming meal. Yet when prepared fresh, hints of fresh lime, the crunch of bean sprouts, and the tang of fish sauce give it an incredible complexity. This quintessential street dish of Thailand melds sweet, salty, sour and spicy.

Even as a dehydrated bikepacking meal, Good To-Go seems to have captured most of these elements that make it a special treat. In addition to thin rice noodles, Good To-Go has employed finely shredded ‘matchstick’ carrots as a secondary base. This definitely gives the dish a meaty and somewhat crunchy bite. Overall their take on pad thai is flavorful, a bit spicy, and tangy, thanks to the addition of tamarind, thai chili, cilantro, and lime juice powder. While most of Good To-Go’s initial 4 meals were vegetarian, Pad Thai contains eggs, anchovy, and “Wild American Shrimp” in the ingredient list.

Ingredients: Rice Noodles (Rice Flour, Water), Carrots, Whole Pasteurized Eggs, Onion, Bean Sprouts, Brown Sugar, Textured Vegetable Protein (Defatted Soy Flour), Dry Roasted Peanuts, Grapeseed Oil, Fish Salt (Anchovy, Sea Salt), Rice Flour, Garlic, Tamarind Powder (Tamarind), Dried Ground Shrimp (Shrimp, Salt), Dried Scallions, Dried Cilantro, Lime Juice Powder (Maltodextrin, Lime Juice, Lime Oil), Turmeric, Dried Thai Chiles

• Price (for 2 serving pack): $11.50
• Weight: 7.5oz (218g)
• Protein (total): 32g
• Calories (total): 860
• Contact: goodto-go.com

Obviously it’s not fresh, so Good To-Go Pad Thai is missing a little something that can be found in the dish when made fresh from scratch. But given the fact it’s an easy to prep dehydrated meal, this version of Pad Thai is very good.

Good To-Go Indian Vegetable Korma

Korma has its roots in the cuisine of modern-day India and Pakistan, and can be traced back to the 16th century Moghul incursions into the region. Classically, a korma is defined as a dish where meat or vegetables are braised with water, stock, and yogurt or cream added. Essentially the modern Indian version is a mild spiced, creamy curry that is typically made with yogurt and tomatoes, often thickened with nuts or seeds. For this dish, Good To-Go created an Indian Curry paste using whole toasted and ground spices, walnuts and coconut. The medley of vegetables — carrot, parsnip, green bean, chick peas, onion, and sweet Peas — are cooked in the paste and then dehydrated. When prepared in the bag with boiling water, the Korma it creates an aromatic, hearty and mildly spicy dish.

Ingredients: Carrot, Parsnip, Green Bean, Chick Peas*, Onion, Sweet Peas, Tomato Flakes*, Canned Tomato Paste (Vine Ripened Tomatoes), Unsulfured & Unsweetened Shredded Coconut, Yogurt Powder Blend (Cultured Whey, Nonfat Milk Solids & Yogurt Cultures), Grapeseed Oil, Ginger, Walnuts, Garlic, Kosher Salt, Poppy Seed, Coriander, Fennel, Cumin, Cardamom, Turmeric, Cinnamon, Clove, Dried Chilies *Dehydrated

• Price (for 2 serving pack): $11.50
• Weight: 6.7oz (190g)
• Protein (total): 30g
• Calories (total): 780
• Contact: goodto-go.com