You can't beat the heat

Vegetarian Times, Oct, 1998 by Kathy Farrell-Kingsley

Chili is one of those inflammatory dishes--it literally sparks arguments among aficionados. Though chili started south of the border, it's become as American as apple pie, and its fans from all over are deeply divided over what constitutes a proper mix. Some folks revel in a five-alarm batch so fiery it makes the reveler break out in a sweat. Others prefer their bowl of red on the tame side. Many devotees spar over whether chili should contain pinto, kidney or navy beans, while purists maintain beans have no place in the pot at all. And then there's a particularly vocal contingent determined to ban tomatoes, claiming they make the mixture too soupy. But no matter how you spice it, chili is fun to make precisely because there are so many opportunities for the cook to improvise.

There's nothing fancy in our chili, but you'll find it has lots of flavor and packs a real punch. If you don't care for spicy foods, there are many ways to turn down the heat without sacrificing flavor: omit the jalapeno peppers; garnish with a generous dollop of plain yogurt or sour cream; or serve the chili with bread, tortillas or rice. Just remember, for chili to work its soul-satisfying magic, it needs to be hot enough to make you tingle, but not so hot that the flavor is consumed by the flame.

Black Bean Chili

6 SERVINGS DAIRY-FREE 30

You can have this chili on the table in no time at all since you probably already have the ingredients in your pantry. We like ours made with black beans, but you can also use red kidney or pinto beans, or mix two kinds of beans together. For a change of pace, serve the chili over quinoa instead of rice.

2 tsp. Vegetable oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 medium green bell pepper, diced
2 jalapeno peppers, seeded
  and minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbs. chili powder
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. dried oregano
3/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
14-oz. can Mexican-style stewed
  tomatoes
Two 16-oz. cans black beans, rinsed
  and drained cup water
1 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro

In large nonstick pot, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion, bell pepper, jalapeno and garlic and cook, stirring often, until vegetables begin to soften, 5 minutes. Add spices, tomatoes, beans and water, and simmer 15 minutes. Stir in corn and cook 1 minute. Stir in cilantro and serve.

Per serving: 145 cal.; 7g prot.; 1g total fat (0 sat. fat); 33g carb.; 0 chol.; 642mg sod.; 9g fiber.

Chili Corn Muffins

MAKES 12 MUFFINS OVO-LACTO

Muffins are not just for breakfast. Warm from the oven, these savory corn muffins complement our black bean chili perfectly. The trick to turning out light and tender muffins is to not work the batter too hard. Mix the ingredients just until blended.

1 1/2 cups unbleached white flour
1/2 cup cornmeal
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
3 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup soy milk or skim milk
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 large egg, lightly beaten
4-oz. can chopped green chilies

Preheat oven to 400 [degrees] F. Lightly grease a standard 12-muffin pan.

In medium bowl, whisk flour, cornmeal, both sugars, baking powder and salt. In medium bowl, mix remaining ingredients. Make well in dry ingredients. Add milk mixture and stir until just blended.

Divide batter among prepared muffin cups. Bake 15 to 20 minutes, or until tops spring back when lightly pressed. Let cool in the pan 5 minutes, then loosen edges and turn out onto a rack and cool completely.

Per muffin: 81 cal.; 4g prot.; 2g total fat (0 sat. fat); 14g carb.; 22mg chol.; 234mg sod.; 1g fiber.

Chili Powders

Fresh chilies come in a mind-boggling variety. But when these members of the capsicum family are dried and ground, they are even more confusing. Here are some common types of chili powders and what you can expect from them.

Cayenne: Made from a variety of small slender, bright red chilies, this powder is pungent and very hot--use with caution.

Chili powder: (American-style) A super-market staple, this powder blends dried chilies with other seasonings, such as oregano, allspice, garlic powder and coriander. It ranges from mild to medium-hot.

Crushed red pepper flakes: Also called chili flakes, it's a combination of small chili pod flakes and seeds of hot to moderately hot chilies.

New Mexican chili powder: Made from New Mexican chilies that are mild to medium-hot, this powder is deep red with a slightly spicy flavor.

California chili powder: Made from mild Anaheim chilies, this powder is brickred in color but with a mellow flavor--use it liberally.

Ground pasilla chili: The pasilla is a long blackish-brown dried chili. When ground, it becomes a russet colored powder with a mild but complex flavor.