22 July 2004

Three-Bean Chili

Delicious and dramatic, this dish – with its many vegetables – is a mosaic of colors. It is great with brown rice or cornbread and a green salad. It also makes a delicious filling for burritos. Don’t be intimidated by the number of ingredients – many of them are just spices.

Serves 6

INGREDIENTS

1 orange bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1/2-squares

1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1/2-squares

1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1/2-squares

1 yellow onion, coarsely chopped

2-3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

3-4 tablespoons water for sautéing

¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon dried oregano

2 tablespoons chili powder

3 medium tomatoes, peeled and chopped (or one 16-ounce can diced tomatoes)

1 can kidney beans, drained and rinsed

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 can pinto beans, drained and rinsed

1 can corn, drained (or 1-1/2 cups frozen corn, thawed)

Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Water or tomato juice as needed

½ cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves or fresh parsley (optional)

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat up the few tablespoons of water in a heavy 4-quart saucepan over medium heat. This is to replace the oil that is often used for sautéing.

2. Add the bell peppers, onion, garlic, oregano, and chili powder, cayenne, coriander, and cumin, and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes.

3. Stir in the tomatoes, the canned corn, and all the beans, and bring to a boil. Add a little water as needed.

4. Lower the heat and simmer for 30 minutes, adding water or tomato juice as needed if too much liquid evaporates. Season with salt and black pepper, and stir in the cilantro or parsley. Serve in shallow bowls.

Serving suggestions and variations:

*Add a dollop of non-dairy sour cream and/or guacamole or fresh avocado on top of the chili once it’s plated.

*You can obviously use any color variation of bell pepper; the more color variety, the prettier the dish is. Same goes for the beans. You can use all black or white (Navy, Great Northern, etc.) instead of pinto. It’s really up to you, your preferences, and what you have on hand.

*Add more cayenne and chili powder to make it hotter.

*Serve with different color tortilla chips: white, red, and black/blue.

*Sprinkle shredded non-dairy cheese over the chili. (Follow Your Heart brand is delicious. Check Whole Foods and other large natural foods stores, or ask your grocer to order it.)