Kara & Michael’s Blog

I’m posting my recipe for chili, because I’ve been looking around the web and have found that people have some really strange ideas about chili. Honestly, I kind of expected that everybody that made chili without meat would do it pretty much the same way, but this is not the case. People put all kinds of weird stuff in chili — squash, corn, peas, and the list goes on. It’s chili, not soup! Real chili shouldn’t even have beans in it, but you have to do what you can as a vegetarian.

So anyway, this is how I make a big pot of chili (serves about 6). This is probably similar to my mother’s excellent vegetarian chili recipe, which I may also post if I can get my hands on it:

2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 large yellow onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1 29-oz. can crushed tomatoes
2 15-oz. cans (or 1 29-oz. can) red kidney beans (Goya is cheap and excellent)
2 15-oz. cans (or 1 29-oz. can) black beans -or- 1 can black beans + 1 can pinto beans
1 package ground beef analogue -or- 1/2 cup TVP, rehydrated with water (I use TVP, it’s cheaper)
2 tbsp chili powder
1 tbsp sugar (the secret ingredient)
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp coriander
1 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/4 ~ 1/2 tsp cayenne powder
salt to taste – probably 1-2 tsp
(optional) 2 bay leaves

Heat the oil and add the chopped onion. Saute for a while, then add the garlic and red pepper flakes and saute until the onion starts to brown. If you’re using prepackaged fake meat, add it with the garlic and red pepper; if using TVP, don’t add it yet. Pour in the tomatoes and beans (don’t drain the beans). Add the sugar. Bring to a boil, then add the spices. I have three tips to offer about the spices:

1. Get the salt level where you want it first, since the salt will bring out the other spices.
2. Taste as you go. Don’t trust this or any other recipe entirely.
3. When in doubt, under-spice, since the chili will strengthen with cooking.

Let simmer, covered, for a good long time. If you’re using TVP add it about 20 minutes before you’re ready to serve the chili. This is a great opportunity to make cornbread, which is delicious with chili and also provides complementary protein, if you’re into that sort of thing.

Cumin and coriander are much nicer if freshly ground, and both are easy to find whole at a natural food store or Indian market. If you’re insane, you can also grind your own chili powder out of dried red chiles with dried garlic and oregano. I just use the stuff out of a jar.

Oh, about the sugar: for cutting the acidity of tomatoes, sugar is just about the best thing I know of. You can use some other natural sweetener if you have any objection to sugar, though I’d steer clear of maple syrup or honey for flavor reasons.