Mixed Bean Chili (Vegan)
Spicy Central American bean stew. I grind dried chilies in the spice mix and simmer beans from scratch, to really control the flavors, adding some corn and olives for color and texture. Tasted different variations in Chicago and St. George Island, Florida on my recent summer vacation. Serve over rice.
Spicy Central American bean stew. I grind dried chilies in the spice mix and simmer beans from scratch, to really control the flavors, adding some corn and olives for color and texture. Tasted different variations in Chicago and St. George Island, Florida on my recent summer vacation. Serve over rice.
- sauce
- main
- finish
- 1/2 onion chopped
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp paprika
- beans
- 1/2 cup dry red beans (kidney) soaked
- 1/2 cup dry black beans soaked
- 1/2 cup dry white beans (pinto) soaked
- 2 cloves garlic whole, crushed
- 2 bay leaves whole
- 1/4 tsp black peppercorn whole
- 1/4 tsp cumin seed whole
- 1 can tomatoes diced
- 2 cloves garlic crushed, sliced
- 2 tsp cumin ground
- 2 tsp coriander ground
- 1 dried red chili (guajillo chili) ground
- 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper ground
- 1/4 tsp black peppercorn ground
- 1 cup yellow corn
- 1/2 cup black olives, sliced
- bunch green onion chopped
- handful cilantro chopped
- Carbohydrate 13.3685068061493 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 0.793420486249047 g
- Fiber 2.25129098583692 g
- Protein 2.40862145849055 g
- Saturated Fat 0.117605590300146 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (46g)
- Sodium 7.34469444480659 mg
- Sugar 11.1172158203123 g
- Trans Fat 0.120406527791625 g
- Calories 67 calories
Step-by-step
- Prepare by soaking beans overnight, keeping each bean color separate, at least 8 hrs. If mixed together, colors will bleed. Retain the soaking liquid for cooking.
- To simmer beans: In large pot add beans, soaking water and extra water, and whole spices. Bring to boil, then turn down and simmer, 2-4 hours, until tender. Tender beans require both overnight soaking and a long time slow cooking. Drain and set aside.
- To grind whole spices: Grind whole chili, cumin seed, corriander seed, black peppercorns, and red chili into coarse powder in spice grinder. Set aside. This step can also be done while browning onions, along with chopping base vegetables.
- To start base: In large pot, brown onion, lowering heat once it colors, 10-12 min. Add splash of water, tomato, garlic and ground spices, and simmer 2-3 min. Result should be chunky fragrant vegetable mix, without much excess water, which would only slow cooking. Cover with 1-2 inches water and blend coarsely, with hand blender.
- Main: To large pot with vegetable base, add beans, corn and olives, and cover with 1-2 inches water. Bring to boil, then turn down to simmer, 1 hours until flavors blend together.
- Finish: Add green onion and fresh cilantro to garnish.
Vibrant red kidney beans, earthy black beans, and tender pinto beans sit suspended in a thick, fragrant vegetable puree punctuated by bright pops of sweet yellow corn and briny black olives. Building a plant-based chili from dried legumes transforms the textural landscape of the dish completely, yielding creamy interiors rather than the chalky bite often found in canned alternatives.
- Soak the dried red, black, and pinto beans in separate containers for at least eight hours to prevent their distinct seed-coat pigments from bleeding into one another during hydration.
- Retain the soaking liquid for the simmering phase; dissolved starches left in the water help thicken the eventual broth as the beans cook for two to four hours until fully tender.
- Lower the heat during the ten to twelve minute onion-browning stage to develop deep Maillard compounds without burning the alliums.
- Store cooked chili in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to four days, or freeze for up to three months.
- Reheat refrigerated chili gently over medium-low heat, adding a splash of water to compensate for moisture lost to starch retrogradation during chilling.
For dietary modifications, substitute the corn with diced summer squash at a one-to-one ratio without altering the simmering times. Freezing actually improves the structural integrity of mixed bean dishes by allowing intercellular ice crystals to break down rigid cell walls further, which deepens the overall flavor melding upon thawing.
