A pretty decent dish. I had fresh jolokia chile, but because my eaters for this dish didn't have the same heat tolerance I do, I varied it's use by making a slit on each side of the jolokia and tossing it in whole, Also used 3 habaneros and 3 Thai chiles. The spice profile was good. I used the pinto beans and small red beans instead of kidneys, which I should have cooked seperately, as their size difference resulted in one bean being cooked before the other. To help tame the heat, I served this with some very rich, full of cheese and sour cream cornbread.
Vegetarian Chili
Author Suketu Mehta gave us the recipe for this chili. We recommend making a lengthwise slit down the side of each of the fresh chiles to release some of their intense floral heat (see Taming the Heat in Chiles for more about this technique).
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Photo: Todd Coleman
INGREDIENTS
12 oz. dried dark kidney beans, soaked overnight12 oz. dried pinto beans, soaked overnight
Kosher salt, to taste
1⁄4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
12 cloves garlic, minced
3 dried chipotle chiles
2 bay leaves
2 large white onions, chopped
1 dried ancho chile
8 oz. button mushrooms, quartered
6 medium tomatoes, chopped
1 1⁄2 cups canned hominy, drained
1⁄2 cup tomato paste
2 tbsp. red wine vinegar
2 tsp. fresh thyme leaves
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. ground cumin
8 sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
3–6 naga jolokia or habanero chiles, slit lengthwise down one side
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Sour cream, to garnish
minced cilantro, to garnish
minced red onion, to garnish
2. Heat oil in a 6-qt. pot over medium-high heat. Add garlic, chipotle chiles, bay leaves, onions, and ancho chile and cook, stirring often, until onions are golden, 12–15 minutes. Add mushrooms and cook, stirring often, until tender, about 8 minutes. Add tomatoes and cook, stirring, until they release their juices, about 5 minutes. Stir in reserved beans and their cooking liquid, along with hominy, tomato paste, vinegar, thyme, oregano, cumin, sun-dried tomatoes, and habaneros and season with salt and pepper. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until chili thickens and flavors meld, about 1 hour. Serve chili topped with sour cream, cilantro, and red onions.
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Put kidney beans and pinto beans into a large pot and cover with 3" water; bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until beans are tender, about 1 hour. Season with salt; set pot aside.2. Heat oil in a 6-qt. pot over medium-high heat. Add garlic, chipotle chiles, bay leaves, onions, and ancho chile and cook, stirring often, until onions are golden, 12–15 minutes. Add mushrooms and cook, stirring often, until tender, about 8 minutes. Add tomatoes and cook, stirring, until they release their juices, about 5 minutes. Stir in reserved beans and their cooking liquid, along with hominy, tomato paste, vinegar, thyme, oregano, cumin, sun-dried tomatoes, and habaneros and season with salt and pepper. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until chili thickens and flavors meld, about 1 hour. Serve chili topped with sour cream, cilantro, and red onions.
Ratings & Reviews (3)
A pretty decent dish. I had fresh jolokia chile, but because my eaters for this dish didn't have the same heat tolerance I do, I varied it's use by making a slit on each side of only one jolokia and tossing it in whole, and using 3 chopped habaneros and 3 Thai chiles. The spice profile was good. I used the pinto beans and small red beans instead of kidneys, which I should have cooked seperately, as their size difference resulted in one bean being cooked before the other. To help tame the heat, I served this with some very rich, full of cheese and sour cream cornbread.
Not for me! Chili without meat is not chili. Too many ingredients that real chili does not need. Might work in New York or parts of California, but not here in Texas.
Vegetarian Chili
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