Cold weather is chili time. Actually, all weather is chili time, but chili is especially delicious during the colder months. This recipe is completely vegan. Bulgur, dehydrated mushrooms and walnuts create a nice meaty texture and flavor.
I can’t stress enough how intensely good this is. The recipe looks long, but it’s rather easy. Give it a try and enjoy. I strongly recommend you prepare some cornbread on the side to accompany it.
This recipe requires three steps.
- Soak beans
- Prepare tomato sauce
- Make chili
Step two is broken up into two parts, A and B. Part A can be eliminated in the interest of time and substituted for a jar of store bought tomato sauce. Part B, however, is critical. If eliminating part A, make sure you heat the tomato sauce before continuing to Part B.
All Ingredients
- Salt
- 1 bag of red kidney beans (16 oz)
- ½ ounce dried shiitake mushrooms
- 4 teaspoons oregano
- ½ cup crushed walnuts
- 4 tomatoes
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 6 garlic cloves
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- ⅔ cup bulgur
- 2 onions
- 1 red pepper
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 7 cups water
Step 1 – Soak beans (duration, at least 5 hours)
Ingredients
- 1 bag of beans
- 1 teaspoon salt
Preparation
Soak beans in water and 1 teaspoon salt for at least 5 hours
Step 2 – Make tomato sauce (duration, 45 min – 1 hour; this can be made in advance)
Part A.
Ingredients
- Salt
- 4 tomatoes
- Tomato paste
- 1 onion
- 1 red pepper
- ¼ cup red wine
- 6 garlic cloves
- 1 tablespoon Olive oil
Preparation
- Prepare the vegetables: cut the onion, red pepper, and tomatoes (keep onion aside)
- Heat olive oil
- Put onion in pan, stir in salt and cook about 4 minutes until translucent
- Stir in red pepper, tomatoes, and wine. Cover and cook on low for 30 minutes. Stir in garlic, and cover for another 10-15 minutes.
If preparing in advance, cover and refrigerate when complete, if not, continue to Part B.
Part B.
Ingredients
- ¾ cup walnut
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- ½ ounce dried shiitake mushroom
- 3 tablespoon tomato paste
Preparation
- Stir walnuts, soy sauce, and tomato paste into sauce, blend
- Crush shiitake mushroom with hand and place in sauce
- Set aside
Step 3 – Chili (duration, 3 hours)
Ingredients
- Salt
- 1 onion
- 1 bag kidney beans, soaked
- 7 cups water
- ¾ cup bulgur
- 28 oz of tomato sauce (used prepared tomato from step 2)
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 2 tablespoons oil
Preparation
- On stove top, heat oil in large pot or dutch oven
- Stir in onions 1 teaspoon salt and cook until translucent. Stir in chili powder, ground cumin, coriander, and oregano until fragrant. Stir in beans, mix well, then water, and bring to boil.
- Put pot in oven for and cook for 45 minutes. When there is a few minute remaining, adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 300 degrees.
- Stir in tomato sauce and bulgur. Cook in the oven covered for 2 hours
Enjoy.